ORGANON 


lu  Jtrt  0f  Jfealtttjp 


SAMUEL 


BY 


if  A  H  N  E  M  A  N  N. 


A  U  D  E    S  A  P  ERE. 


FIFTH    AMERICAN    EDITION, 

TRANSLATED     FROM     THE     FIFTH     GERMAN     EDITION. 

BT 

C.  WESSELHOEFT,  M.D. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
BOERICKE  &  TAFEL. 


.  = 


Entered  accordinc  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1876, 

BY  BOERICKE  A  TAFEL, 
.a  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  <X 


T 


PKEFACE  TO  THE  FIFTH  EDITION. 


(P  THE  following  remarks  are  intended  to  illustrate  the  old 
school  of  medicine  (allopathy)  in  general.  In  the  treatment  of 
diseases  old-school  physicians  are  in  the  habit  of  assuming  the 
existence  of  excess  of  blood  (plethora),  or  of  morbific  matter  and 

<j)  acrid  humors,  which  in  reality  do  not  exist.  In  order  to  remove 
them,  the  life-blood  is  wasted  by  venesections  and  various  other 
devices  for  the  expulsion  of  imaginary  noxious  matter,  or  for  its 
derivation  to  other  parts.  For  these  purposes  physicians  resort 
to  emetics,  cathartics,  sialagogues,  sudorifics,  diuretics,  blisters," 
_^  fontanelles,  setons,  etc.  All  of  these  are  applied  under  the  delu- 
sion that  the  disease  is  thereby  weakened,  and  materially  de- 
stroyed, while  in  reality  the  suffering  of  the  patient  is  increased 
under  the  use  of  opiates,  together  with  the  waste  of  substance, 
which  seriously  prevents  the  restoration  of  health.  Again,  it  is 
customary  to  assail  the  organism  by  repeated  and  massive  doses 
of  powerful  drugs,  the  protracted  effects  and  violent  properties 
of  which,  are  too  often  unknown  to  the  prescriber ;  and  these 
effects  are  frequently  rendered  still  more  incalculable  by  the  de- 
plorable habit,* adhered  to  by  the  oid  school,  of  compounding  in 
one  formula  several  or  many  unknown  substances,  by  the  pro- 
longed use  of  which,  new  and  often  incurable  drug-diseases  are 

P      added  to  those  already  present  in  the  body.     In  order  to  beguile 

the  patient*  by  temporary  suppression  and  alleviation,  the  old 

K      school  makes    use  of  palliatives  (contraria  contrariis)  without 

regard  to  subsequent  extension  and  aggravation  of  the  disease. 

*  For  the  same  purpose  the  ready-witted  allopathist  generally  makes  free 
use  of  the  Greek  name  of  the  disease,  in  order  to  convince  the  patient  that 
the  doctor  is  as  familiar  with  the  disease  as  with  an  old  acquair.tance  with 
whom  it  is  ^asy  to  deal. 

(iii  ) 


IV  PREFACE   TO   THE   FIFTH    EDITION. 

Affections  appearing  on  external  portions  of  the  body  are  conve- 
niently declared  to  be  only  local  diseases,  having  no  connection 
with  the  rest  of  the  organism ;  and  these  are  said  to  have  been 
cured,  when  they  have  only  been  removed  from  the  surface  by 
external  applications,  while  the  real  inner  disease  is  compelled  to 
fasten  upon  other  more  vital  organs. 

When  the  doctor  is  finally  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  the  ob- 
stinate and  greatly  increased  disease,  he  boldly  applies  the  max- 
ims of  his  school  in  blindly  administering  an  alterative  to  pro- 
duce the  desired  change;  and  so  life  is  often  undermined  by 
calomel,  corrosive  sublimate,  and  other  mercurials  in  large  doses. 

The  old  or  allopathic  treatment  of  disease  is  often  followed  by 
the  deplorable  result  that  by  far  the  greatest  proportion  of  all 
diseases  are  made  incurable,  or  hastened  to  a  fatal  termination,  by 
means  of  prolonged  debilitating  treatment  of  patients  already 
weakened  by  disease,  and  by  complicating  their  complaints  with 
new  and  destructive  affections  resulting  from  the  use  of  imper- 
"fectly  known  remedial  agents.  Such  results  are  far  too  easily 
occasioned  by  a  certain  levity  of  conscience  which  soon  leads  to 
thoughtless  routine. 

No  doubt  old-school  physicians  of  the  common  kind  are  ready 
to  defend  these  injurious  modes  of  practice  by  arguments  bor- 
rowed from  prejudiced  books  and  professors,  or  based  on  the  au- 
thority of  some  other  old-school  physician.  The  most  absurd 
and  unreasonable  methods  of  treatment  have  their  defenders, 
notwithstanding  the  testimony  of  most  painful  results.  Only 
the  old  physician  who  has  at  length  quietly  arrived  at  the  con- 
viction of  the  injuriousness  of  such  practice,  wisely  prescribes 
harmless  plantain-leaf  tea  and  raspberry  syrup  for  the  most 
serious  diseases,  and  loses  but  very  few  cases. 

This  most  injurious  system  of  practice  has  held  absolute  sway 
over  life  and  death  of  the  sick  for  many  centuries.  Firmly 
rooted  and  fastened  upon  mankind,  it  has  destroyed  more  lives 
than  the  most  pernicious  wars,  and  has  increased  the  sickness  of 
millions  to  actual  misery.  It  is  my  purpose  to  prove  and  illus- 
trate the  errors  of  that  practice  (allopathy)  before  I  proceed  to 
treat  in  detail  of  its  direct  counterpart,  the  newly  discovered  and 
truly  rational  art  of  healing. 


PREFACE   TO  THE   FIFTH   EDITION.  V 

The  case  is  quite  different  with  homoeopathy.  It  will  easily 
convince  every  thinker  that  human  diseases  do  not  proceed  from 
material  humors  or  noxious  matter,  but  that  they  are  purely 
dynamic  disturbances  of  the  spirit-like  vital  force.  It  is  known 
to  homoeopathy  that  cures  result  only  from  the  counteraction 
of  the  vital  force  against  some  medicine  chosen  according  to  cor- 
rect principles,  and  that  curative  effects  are  speedy  and  certain 
in  proportion  to  the  energy  of  the  vital  force  of  the  patient. 
Homoeopathy,  therefore,  avoids  every  debilitating  influence*  as 
well  as  the  infliction  of  pain  in  the  treatment  of  diseases,  because 
pain  also  produces  debility;  it  allows  the  use  only  of  such  medi- 
cines whose  (dynamic)  effects  upon  health  and  whose  manner  of 
altering  it  are  thoroughly  known.  According  to  the  principles 
of  homoeopathy,  a  medicine  is  selected  which  possesses  the  power 
(drug-disease)  of  extinguishing  a  natural  disease  by  means  of  the 
similitude  of  its  alterative  qualities  (similia  similibus);  such, a 
medicine  is  administered  in  simple  form  at  long  intervals,  and 
in  doses  so  fine  as  to  be  just  sufficient,  without  causing  pain  or 
debility,  to  obliterate  the  natural  disease  through  the  reaction  of 
vital  energy.  The  result  will  prove  that  the  natural  disease  may 
be  cured  without  weakening  and  without  additional  suffering  of 
the  patient,  who  will  rapidly  gain  strength  when  convalescence 
is  once  begun. 

The  application  of  homoeopathic  principles  appears  easy,  but 
is  in  reality  most  difficult  and  irksome ;  it  demands  most  careful 
thought  and  the  utmost  patience,  but  these  find*  their  reward  in 
speedy  and  permanent  recovery  of  the  patient. 

Homoeopathy  is  a  simple  art  of  healing,  unvarying  in  its 
principles,  and  in  its  methods  of  applying  them.  The  principles 
upon  which  it  is  based,  if  thoroughly  understood,  will  be  found 


*  Homoeopathy  sheds  not  a  drop  of  blood,  prescribes  no  emetics,  purga- 
tives, laxatives,  nor  sudorifics.  It  removes  no  external  disease  by  local  ap- 
plications ;  it  orders  no  medicated  baths  nor  enemas,  and  makes  no  use  of 
blisters,  sinapisms,  setons,  nor  fontanelles ;  it  objects  to  salivation,  and  does 
not  sear  the  flesh  to  the  bone  by  moxa  or  heated  iron.  The  homceopatltist 
dispenses  only  self-made,  simple  medicines,  whose  effects  he  has  accurately 
and  carefully  studied,  and  he  avoids  all  mixtures,  and  needs  no  opium  to 
soothe  pain,  etc. 


VI  PREFACE   TO   THE   FIFTH    EDITION. 

to  be  perfect  and  unassailable,  so  that  the  purity  of  principle? 
also  determines  the  purity  of  their  application,  and  they  are  not 
disobeyed  without  sacrificing  the  honest  name  of  homoeopathy. 
These  principles  preclude  every  departure*  to  the  deplorable 
routine  of  the  old  school,  of  which  homoeopathy  is  the  counter- 
part, and  as  distinct  from  it  as  day  is  from  night. 

Some  physicians  who  would  like  to  be  regarded  as  homoeop- 
ath ists,  have  erred  so  far  as  to  endeavor  to  combine  allopathic 
routine  and  homoeopathic  practice.  But  such  a  course  proceeds 
from  complete  want  of  appreciation  of  the  principles  of  homre- 
opathy,  from  indolence,  conceit,  and  indifference  to  the  claims  of 
suffering  fellow-beings.  Besides  unpardonable  negligence  in  the 
selection  of  the  most  appropriate  homoeopathic  specific  for  each 
particular  case,  the  mainspring  of  this  mixed  practice  is  fre- 
quently to  be  found  in  desire  for  gain,  and  other  ignoble  motives. 
As  for  the  result,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  such  practice,  unlike  pure 
and  conscientious  homoeopathy,  is  unable  to  cure  complicated  and 
obstinate  diseases,  sending  many  a  patient  to  that  "country  from 
whose  bourne  no  traveller  returns,"  while  the  doctor  offers  the 
soothing  consolation  to  the  friends  that  everything  had  been  done 
for  the  best  of  the  patient,  unconsciously  including  many  irrepa- 
rable errors  that  always  arise  from  allopathic  practice. 

SAMUEL  HAHNEMANN. 

KOTHEN,  March  28th,  1833. 


*  I  regret,  therefore,  ever  to  have  made  the  proposition  savoring  of  allop- 
athy, to  treat  psoric  diseases  by  means  of  a  pitch-plaster  placed  upon  the 
back  for  the  purpose  of  producing  gentle  itching,  and  to  apply  mild  electric 
shocks  in  cases  of  paralysis.  Since  neither  of  these  recommendations  proved 
to  be  very  useful,  and  have  afforded  imperfect  homoeopathists  an  excuse  to 
indulge  their  allopathic  proclivities,  I  regret  ever  to  have  made  propositions 
of  that  kind,  and  herewith  emphatically  retract  them.  I  do  so,  also,  because 
cur  homoeopathic  art  of  healing  has  since  that  time  approached  so  much 
nearer  to  perfection  that  measures  like  the  above  are  no  longer  needed. 


PREFACE  BY  THE  TRANSLATOR. 


HAHNEMANN'S  Organon  of  the  Art  of  Healing  still  continues 
to  be  the  foundation  which  bears  the  new  and  growing  school 
of  medicine,  known  as-  that  of  homoeopathy.  There  is  a  general 
want  of  a  text-book  embracing  the  fundamental  principles  of 
our  practice,  and  yet  but  very  few  books  of  that  kind  have 
appeared,  and  none  have  outlived  Hahnemann's  original  work, 
for  which  there  has  been  a  constantly  increasing  demand,  that 
rapidly  exhausted  the  last  American  and  all  British  editions, 
including  the  superior  translation  by  Dr.  R.  E.  Dudgeon,* 
which,  being  likewise  out  of  print,  the  present  edition  became 
an  imperative  necessity.  So  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  this  is 
the  third  original  translation  of  the  Organon  into  English.  The 
earliest  was  made  by  Charles  H.  Devrient,  Esq.,  with  notes  by 
Samuel  Stratton,  M.D.  Dublin:  W.  F.  Wakeman,  1833. 
This  has  had  several  (four  ?)  editions.  Dr.  Dudgeon's  original 
translation  has  already  been  mentioned.  The  four  American 
editionsf  are  reprints  of  the  original  British  translation,  pre- 
ceding that  of  Dr.  Dudgeon. 

*  Organon  of  Medicine,  by  Samuel  Hahnemaim,  translated  from  the  fifth 
German  edition,  by  R.  E  Dudgeon,  M.D.  London  :  W.  Headland,  1849. 

f  Organon  of  Homoeopathy,  by  Samuel  Hahnemann.  First  American 
from  the  British  translation  of  the  fourth  German  edition.  Preface  by 
Samuel  Stratton,  M.D  ,  and  another  by  C.  Bering,  M.D.,  1836. 

Second  American  edition,  exactly  like  the  first,  1843. 

Third  American  edition,  entitled  :  Samuel  Hahnemann's  Oiganon  of  Ho- 
moeopathic Meiicine.  With  improvements  and  additions  from  the  last 
(fifth)  German  edition,  with  an  Introduction  by  S.  Stratton,  M.D.,  and  C. 
Hering,  M.D.  New  York  :  Radde,  1848. 

The  last  edition  (fourth)  of  1869,  is  now  also  out  of  print. 

(  vii  ) 


Vlll  PREFACE   BY  THE   TRANSLATOR. 

Although  the  American  editions  have  served  their  purpose,  a 
careful  comparison  with  the  original  work  soon  leads  to  the 
conviction  that  justice  was  not  always  done  to  it.  The  transla- 
tion, though  free  in  paraphrase,  often  obscures  the  sense  by  un- 
successful rendering  of  the  quaintness  of  the  author's  style,  and 
of  his  involved  sentences.  New  translations  are  of  advantage, 
inasmuch  as  each  brings  new  and  original  rendering  of  expres- 
sions ;  but  the  following  is  an  additional  reason  for  retranslat- 
ing the  work.  In  his  Preface  (p.  ii),  Dr.  Dudgeon  says :  "Con- 
vinced that  what  the  English  student  of  homo3opathy  required 
was  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  founder's  great  work,  I  have 
conscientiously  endeavored  to  render  my  translation  as  literal  as 
possible,  and  as  far  as  the  different  genius  of  the  two  languages 
admitted,  I  have  retained  the  same  expressions,  figures  of  speech, 
and  even  the  somewhat  cumbrous  and  tautological  style  of  the 
original,"  etc. 

As  the  requirements  of  the  American  are  not  of  the  same 
character  as  those  of  the  English  student,  Dr.  Dudgeon's  plan 
could  not  well  be  followed  in  a  new  American  edition  of  the 
Organon.  While  endeavoring  to  produce  a  perfectly  correct 
translation  of  the  original,  I  have  avoided  too  close  an  adher- 
ence to  Hahnemann's  construction,  style,  and  punctuation.  By 
more  liberal  use  of  periods,  many  a  long  and  intricate  sentence 
has  been  made  to  yield  resting-places  to  the  mind  of  the  reader ; 
§§  3  and  230  may  serve  as  fair  illustrations  of  the  style  I  have 
striven  to  adopt. 

As  an  example  of  inaccuracy  of  construction  in  the  last  Ameri- 
can edition,  the  reader  is  referred  to  a  sentence  in  §  14 :  "There 
is  no  curable  malady  ....  in  the  interior  of  man  which  admits 
of  cure  that  is  not  made  known,"  etc.  In  this  sentence,  "  in- 
terior of  man"  is  made  the  subject  of  "admits,"  and  "cure"  is 
the  subject  of  "  made  known,"  while  both  verbs  should  be  gov- 
erned by  the  subject  "curable  malady."  Errors  of  this  kind 
are  noticeable  in  §§  15,  18,  164,  which  must  have  puzzled  the 
reader. 

The  last  edition  still  retains  several  paragraphs  from  the 
fourth  German  edition,  which  Hahnemann  altered  and  improved 
in  the  fifth,  with  the  text  of  which,  those  paragraphs  have  been 


PKEFACE  BY  THE  TRANSLATOR.  IX 

made  to  correspond  in  the  present  translation.  ^Compare  §  29, 
American  edition,  with  §  24,  fourth  German  edition.)  Actual 
omission  of  clauses  and  parts  of  sentences  occur  in  §§  51,  .54, 
70, 163. 

Actual  mistakes  in  the  rendering  of  terms  arc  not  uncommon 
in  the  American  edition,  for  instance,  similitude  is  often  trans- 
lated "analogy"  (§§  40,  43,  46,  etc.).  A  serious  error  occurs  in 
§  18,  where  Hulfe-Bediirfniss,  which  means  need  of  relief,  is 
translated  by  "  nature  of  medicines."  In  §  23,  "  existing  mor- 
bid symptoms,"  should  read  persistent,  etc.  In  §  64,  the  word 
"  morbid,"  should  be  morbific.  In  §  115,  "sufficient "  should 
be  insufficient.  These  are  a  few  out  of  many  inaccuracies  which 
disturb  and  often  entirely  destroy  the  sense  of  the  text.  Anothei 
important  instance  is  contained  in  §  129,  where  the  words  "still 
higher  doses,"  should  be  translated  in  accordance  with  the  text, 
to  mean  larger  and  stronger  doses. 

The  present  translation,  I  hope,  may  be  found  to  be  an  entirely 
new  and  independent  one  of  the  whole  work.  A  careful  com- 
parison with  Dr.  Dudgeon's,  and  with  the  American  editions, 
has  greatly  facilitated  the  avoidance  of  old  errors,  as  well  as  of 
new  ones. 

Each  paragraph  of  the  Organon  generally  consists  of  a  single 
uninterrupted  sentence  which,  like  a  ponderous  block  of  stone, 
hewn  and  sculptured  by  the  skill  of  an  artisan,  seems  to  have 
been  lifted  with  Titan  power  to  fill  its  place  and  purpose  in  the 
structure.  It  was  impossible  always  to  reproduce  these  sentences 
in  English.  Plain  English  expressions,  and  simplicity  of  style, 
were  needed  to  render  the  work  accessible  to  the  student.  How 
far  the  translator  has  succeeded  in  this,  he  submits  to  the  deci- 
sion of  the  generous  reader. 

The  Organon  is  divisible  into  two  parts.  The  first  is  a  vig- 
orous and  masterly  description  and  criticism,  of  the  practice  of 
medicine  as  it  was  during  the  end  of  the  last,  and  the  first 
quarter  of  the  present,  century.  The  second  part  teaches  the  prin- 
ciples and  practice  of  homoaopathy,  and  thus  frequent  reference  is 
made  to  the  then  existing  methods  of  the  old  school.  Things 
have  changed  since  that  time.  If  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  the 
old  school  held  the  principles  which  Hahnemann  censured,  they 


X  PREFACE    BY   THE   TRANSLATOR. 

are  now  unanimously  repudiated.  The  old  school  now  has  no 
principled  in  its  application  of  drugs ;  it  neglects  these  in  favor 
of  numerous  surgical  specialties,  in  the  midst  of  which,  real 
medical  practice  is  threatened  with  destruction,  like  a  plant  sur- 
rounded by  exuberant  weeds.  Those  disavowed  principles  are 
now  replaced  by  highly  scientific  experiment,  such  as  vivisec- 
tions, curarization,  galvanization,  measurement  of  blood-pressure 
of  moribund  animals,  etc.,  but  we  see  no  favorable  clinical  results 
to  prove  the  value  of  such  one-sided  investigation.  In  strong 
contrast  with  this  scientific  zealotism,  we  observe  the  most  un- 
scientific empiricism  in  the  use  of  medicines;  this  arises  from  the 
absence  of  a  guiding  rule,  like  that  which  inaugurated  the  emi- 
nently practical  method  of  testing  drugs  upon  the  healthy  living 
organism,  which  permits  a  direct  inference  as  to  the  amount  of 
benefit  to  be  derived  from  the  use  of  medicines  in  disease.  To 
this  state  of  things,  Hahnemann's  Organon  needs  readaptation. 

Although  the  Organon  has  been  and  is  our  principal  text-book 
for  the  present,  it  has  not  been  republished  under  the  impression 
that  all  its  doctrines  and  principles  are  to  be  accepted  literally 
and  unconditionally.  As  each  one  has  a  style  of  his  own,  the 
details  in  the  application  of  the  principles  of  the  Organon  must 
necessarily  vary  with  different  individuals.  While  admitting 
these,  we  should  also  allow  a  certain  latitude  in  the  interpretation 
of  various  dogmas  advanced  in  the  Organon.  Indeed,  our  best 
authors,  and  among  them  Hahnemann's  earliest  disciples,  have 
always  exercised  absolute  liberty  of  personal  judgment  in  these 
matters. 

"We  have  not  the  space  to  dwell  upon  many  details  here,  and 
therefore  only  allude  briefly  to  some  of  the  main  points.  The 
Organon  still  contains  its  chapters  on  the  psora-theory.  Few 
beginners  would  comprehend  this  subject  without  explanation 
on  the  part  of  the  instructor.  Many  ignore  the  psora-theory 
altogether;  some  still  adhere  to  its  literal  meaning;  most  physi- 
cians, however,  will  not  adopt  it  unconditionally,  but  will  prob- 
ably agree  to  allow  it  to  remain  in  its  place  as  one  of  the  monu- 
ments of  a  new  era  in  science.  The  age  of  Cuvier,  Lamarck, 
Oken,  and  St.  Hilaire,  culminated  in'  simplifying  the  complicated 
classification  of  organic  nature  introduced  by  Linne\  In  the 


PREFACE  BY  THE  TRANSLATOR.  XI 

place  of  very  numerous  classes  and  orders,  Cuvler  established 
four  grand  types,  embracing  the  entire  animal  world. 

Pathology  was  at  that  time  struggling  for  deliverance  from  a 
similar  chaotic  state;  and,  though  the  history  of  medicine  points 
to  various  vague  attempts  at  classification  of  diseases,  according 
to  common  characteristics  of  type  or  origin,  no  attempt  bears 
the  mark  of  genius  in  scientific  generalization  so  clearly  as  the 
effort  of  Hahnemann  to  classify  diseases,  and  to  embrace  chronic 
diseases  in  few  typical  forms.  Although  he  may  have  erred  in 
some  of  the  details  of  his  structure,  the  principle  and  funda- 
mental idea  underlying  the  attempt,  was  as  grand  and  portentious 
as  that  upon  which  Cuvier  proceeded  to  construct  his  system  of 
classification. 

As  for  the  rule  similia  similibus  curantur,  physicians  agree  that 
it  is  the  most  practical  guide  to  aid  us  in  the  selection  of  most, 
perhaps  of  all,  medicines.  We  accept  it  as  an  empirical  fact,  not 
as  a  theory  or  hypothesis,  as  our  opponents  quite  erroneously  term 
it.  The  explanations  of  its  workings  are  as  numerous  and 
varied  as  they  are  unsatisfactory,  from  Hahnemann  to  the  latest 
expounder.  Yet  the  rule  is  a  good  and  safe  one,  and  though 
imperfectly  explained,  we  may  continue  to  apply  it  in  practice, 
till  at  some  future  time  we  may  enjoy  the  privilege,  not  only  of 
contemplating  what  we  have  cured,  but  also  how  it  was  done. 

Near  these  ancient  landmarks,  around  whose  rugged  shores 
the  ocean  of  strife  has  surged  and  rolled  for  nearly  a  century, 
there  stands  another,  called  "the  question  of  the  dose."  Of  all 
the  problems  involved  in  the  development  of  the  new  method 
of  curing  by  medicines,  this  has  led  to  the  greatest  degree  of 
partisan  contention,  rather  than  scientific  investigation.  Not 
only  physicians  of  experience,  but  laymen,  and  especially  be- 
ginners, whose  judgment  on  medical  matters  is  in  its  period  of 
incubation,  and  whose  experience  is  entirely  a  matter  of  the 
future,  are  divided  by  relentless  partisan  spirit  upon  the  question 
of  the  dose  into  "high  dilutionists"  and  "low  dilutionists." 

Hahnemann  suggested  that  the  thirtieth  potency  is  probably 
the  limit  of  divisibility  and  effectiveness  of  drugs  in  general 
(§  270) ;  and,  though  he  also  held  that  medicines  can  scarcely 
be  attenuated  too  far,  in  the  same  paragraph,  and  many  other 


Xll  PREFACE   BY   THE  TRANSLATOR. 

places,  he  is  careful  to  add  the  condition :  "Provided  it  is  still 
capable  of  producing  an  aggravation  which  proves  it  to  be  stronger 
than  the  natural  disease."  (§§  160,  249,  279,  etc.). 

Some  practitioners  use  only  strong  tinctures  or  crude  drugs, 
or,  at  most,  only  low  dilutions,  and  deny  the  advantages  of  greater 
attenuation ;  others  depend  entirely  on  the  so-called  high  poten- 
cies. There  is  a  decided  tendency  to  diverge  into  extremes; 
while  a  number  follow  a  middle  course,  the  advocates  of  high 
potencies  transcend  Hahnemann's  propositions  regarding  the  dose, 
as  far  as  the  defenders  of  low  dilutions  fall  short  of  it. 

These  extremes  have  created  a  sectarian  spirit  among  the 
public,  and  its  drift  is  forcibly  reflected  in  the  views  of  the  laity. 
This  may,  in  future,  cause  us  some  difficulty,  because  people 
attach  far  more  importance  to  divisions  among  the  doctors  than 
these  do. 

Although  the  Organon  was  translated  in  a  spirit  of  reverence 
fyr  its  author,  the  chief  motive  was  to  afford  our  students  an 
opportunity  to  become  acquainted  with  the  sources  and  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  new  school  of  medicine.  In  proportion  as  these 
are  actually  mastered,  and  in  proportion  to  their  isolation,  and 
abstraction  from  the  adoration  of  the  personality  of  their  origi- 
nator, their  general  and  thorough  adoption  will  be  rapid  or  slow. 

Finally,  and  in  conformity  with  the  purpose  of  the  Organon 
as  a  text-book  of  the  principles  of  homoeopathy,  the  translator 
has  transferred  the  last  paragraphs  (293-4)  and  their  foot-notes, 
treating  of  mesmerism,  to  an  appendix.  Whatever  individuals 
may  think  of  the  subject  of  these  paragraphs,  it  has  no  bearing 
on  the  principles  of  homoeopathy.  Though  mature  minds  are 
in  no  danger  of  being  disturbed  by  it,  in  these  days  abounding 
in  displays  of  jugglery  and  superstition,  mingled  with  natural, 
though  unfathomed  phenomena,  beginners  might  be  led  astray, 
and  to  misjudge  the  book  upon  which  they  should  repose  con- 
fidence. 

0.  WESSELHCEFT,  M.D. 

BOSTOX,  August  21st,  1875. 


CONTENTS. 


PAQl 

PREFACE  BY  THB  AUTHOR, 8-6 

PREFACE  BY  THE  TRANSLATOR, 7-12 

INTRODUCTION. 

Review  of  physic,  allopathy,  and  palliative  treatment  of  the  old  school — 
Laymen  also  found  treatment  by  means  of  similitude  of  effect  to  be 
most  beneficial — Even  ancient  physicians  had  a  presentiment  of  the 
superiority  of  that  principle, •  17-46 

Foot-notes  to  the  Introduction, 47-63 

TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON. 

\  1-2.  The  only  calling  of  the  physician  is  to  cure  speedily,  gently,  and  per- 
manently,   65 

NOTE. — It  is  not  his  calling  to  frame  theoretical  explanations,         187 
\  3-4.  The  physician  should  discover  what  is  to  be  cured  in  diseases,  and 
what  is  curative  in  drugs,  and  to  adapt  the  latter  to  the  former — He 
should  also  know  how  to  prevent  sickness,       ....     65-66 
\  5.  Attention    to   incidental  and   primary  causes,  and   to   other   circum- 
stances,       66 

\  6.  As  it  concerns  the  physician,  the  disease  consists  only  of  the  totality  of 

symptoms, 66 

NOTE. — It  is  impossible  for  the  old  school  to  discover  the  essence 
of  disease  (prima  causa),    .         .         .         .               '    .         .         187 
g  7.  In  obedience  to  these  conditions  (§  5),  the  physician  has  only  to  remove 
the  totality  of  symptoms  in  order  to  cure  the  disease,      .         .  67 
NOTE. — Every  self-evident  cause  of  disease  is  to  be  removed,         188 
Objection  to  symptomatic  treatment,  directed  only  to  one  symp- 
tom,   188 

g  8.  When  all  symptoms  have  been   removed,  the   disease   is   essentially 

cured, 67 

NOTE. — This  is  denied  by  the  old  school,      ....         188 
g  9.  During  health  the  organism  is  animated  by  a  spiritlike  force  (auto- 
cratic vital  force),  which  maintains  the  h.armony  of  functions,  67 
\  10.  The  organism  is  dead  without  this  spiritlike  force,  ...  67 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

§  11.  In  disease  the  vital  force  is  primarily  affected,  and  expresses  its  suf- 
fering (inner  change)  by  abnormal  functions  and  feelings  r*  the  or- 
ganism,   68 

NOTE. — For  the  purpose  of  treatment,  it  is  unnecessary  to  know 

how  the  vital  force  produces  symptoms,     ....         189 

J  12.  By  removing  the  complex  of  symptoms  by  means  of  treatment,  the 

suffering  of  the  vital  force,  that  is,  the  whole  internal  and  external 

disease  is  cured, 68 

t  13.  The  old  school  was  wrong  in  declaring  non-surgical  diseases  to  be 

owing  to  a  peculiar  substance  pervading  the  system,       .         .  68 

g  14.  Every  curable  disease  becomes  apparent  by  means  of  symptoms,          69 

{  15.  The  disturbance  of  the  vital  force,  and  consequent  symptoms  are  an 

inseparable  unit, 69 

|  16.  The  dynamic  vital  force  can  only  be  morbidly  affected  and  cured  by 

dynamic  (spiritlike)  effects  of  morbific  agencies,     ...  69 

§  17.  The  physician  cures  the  whole  disease,  by  removing  the  totality  of 

symptoms, 70 

NOTE. — Illustrative  examples, 189 

§  18.  The  totality  of  symptoms  constitutes  the  only  indication  for  the  selec- 
tion of  a  remedy, 70 

£  19.  A  change  in  health  (symptoms  of  disease)  is  cured  by  medicines,  only 

because  these  are  also  capable  of  producing  a  change  of  health,          70 

g  20.  The  power  of  medicines  of  changing  health,  is  only  to  be  observed  in 

their  effect  upon  healthy  individuals, 71 

§  21.  Symptoms  produced  by  medicines,  are  the  only  signs  by  which  their 

curative  power  is  recognizable, 71 

2  22.  If  experience  proves  that  diseases  are  effectually  cured  by  medicines 
of  similar  effect,  we  should  choose  these — If  experience  proves  medi- 
cines of  opposite  effect  to  be  most  effectual,  we  choose  the  latter,        72 
NOTE. — The  use  of  drugs  which  bear  no  pathical  relation  to  the 
disease,  but  which  affect  the  system  in  another  manner,  is  the 
allopathic,  objectionable  method  of  treatment,  .         .         .         189 
§  23.  Protracted  diseases  are  not  cured    by  opposite    drug-effects   (anti- 
pathic),  72 

5  24-25.  Only  the  homosopathic  method  of  treatment  by  means  of  similar 

symptoms,  is  proved  by  experience  to  be  most  effectual,          .  73 

\  26.  This  is  based  upon  the  law  of  nature,  that  in  the  living   organism  & 

weaker  dynamic  affection  is  permanently  extinguished  by  a  stronger 

one,  differing  in  kind, 73 

NOTE. — This  is  the  case  in  physical  diseases,  as  well  as  in  moral 

affections, 190 

§  27.  The  curative  property  of  medicines,  therefore,  rests  upon  the  similitude 

of  their  symptoms  to  those  of  the  disease,         ....  74 

J  28-29.  Attempt  at  an  explanation  of  this  law  of  cure,    ...  74 

NOTE. — Illustration  of  the  same, 191 

{  30-33.  The  human  organism  is  more  prone  to  the  effects  of  medicine  than 
to  natural  disease,     .  ' 75-  76 


CONTENTS.  XV 

$  84-35.  The  validity  of  the  homoeopathic  law  of  cure  is  demonstrated  by 
the  failure  of  unhomceopathic  treatment  of  protracted  diseases,  and 
also  by  the  fact  that  two  dissimilar  morbid  processes  in  the  system  do 
not  cancel  each  other, 76-77 

§  36.  I.  The  older  affection,  being  of  equal  or  superior  intensity  to  the  new 
one,  will  exclude  the  latter,  .  77 

§  37.  Under  non-homoeopathic  treatment  of  mild  nature,  shronic  diseases 
remain  unchanged, 77 

\  38.  II.  A  new  and  intenser  disease  may,  while  it  lasts,  suppress  the  older 
dissimilar  disease  ;  but  it  will  not  remove  it  permanently,  .  78-80 

§  39.  Violent  treatment  with  allopathic  medicines  cures  no  chronic  disease, 
it  will  only  suppress  it  during  the  action  of  the  medicine,  which  pro- 
duces no  symptoms  similar  to  the  disease — The  chronic  disease  returns 
afterwards  in  aggravated  form, 80-81 

§  40.  III.  The  new  disease  may  finally  join  the  older  and  dissimilar  one, 
thus  producing  a  double  or  complicated  disease,  neither  of  which  is 
capable  of  cancelling  the  other, 81-83 

§  41.  More  frequently  than  in  the  natural  course  of  diseases,  affections  result- 
ing from  improper  and  prolonged  allopathic  treatment,  are  made  to 
complicate  natural  diseases,  or  to  aggravate  them,  ...  83 

\  42.  Diseases  thus  complicated,  being  dissimilar,  occupy  different  localities 
in  the  organism, 83-84 

§  43-44.  The  result  is  very  different,  when  an  intenser  disease  joins  a  simi- 
lar one  pre-existing  in  the  organism,  the  latter  is  cured  by  the  for- 
mer,   84 

§  45.  Explanation  of  this  process,       .......     84-85 

\  46.  Examples  of  chronic  diseases  cured  by  the  accidental  addition  of  new 
similar  and  intenser  disease, 85-88 

\  47-49.  Of  two  diseases  meeting  in  the  course  of  nature,  only  the  similar 
one  will  cure  the  other ;  dissimilar  ones  do  not.  This  indicates  that 
we  should  use  only  similar  remedies  (homoeopathic)  in  the  treatment 
of  disease, 88-89 

§  50.  There  are  but  few  natural  diseases  that  will  cure  others  homoeopathic- 
ally,  and  such  effects  are  connected  with  many  inconveniences,  89 

§  61.  The  physician,  on  the  other  hand,  possesses  numerous  remedies,  far 
superior  to  the  accidental  cures  of  nature,  ....  89-90 

§  52.  From  the  process  of  nature  we  learn  that  diseases  should  be  treated  and 
cured  only  with  homoeopathic  remedies,  while  allopathic  remedies  are 
ineffectual  and  injurious, 90-91 

2  53-54.  There  are  only  three  possible  methods  of  applying  medicines  in 

disease, 91-92 

1.  The  homoeopathic  method,  which  is  the  only  efficacious  one,  92 

|  55.  2.  The  allopathic  or  heteropathic  method,         ....  1)2 

\  56.  3.  The  antipathic  (enantiopathic)  palliative  method,        .         .     92-93 
NOTE. — The  attempt  called  "  isopathy,"      ....         194 

\  57.  The  method  of  treatment,  according  to  which  a  remedy  of  opposite 
effect  (contraria  conirariis)  is  employed  against  a  single  symptom  of 
the  disease,  ..........  93 


rvi  CONTENTS. 

g  68.  The  antipathic  method  is  wrong,  not  only  because  it  treats  a  single 
symptom  of  a  disease,  but  also  because  it  is  followed  by  aggravation 
after  apparent  relief  in  protracted  diseases,  ....  94 

NOTE. — Testimony  of  authors, 194 

§59.  Injurious  effect  of  certain  antipathic  treatment,         .         .         .     94-97 
§  60.  Increased  and  repeated  doses  of  a  palliative,  never  cure  chronic  disease*, 

but  tend  to  aggravate  them, 97 

§  61.  These  results  should  have  led  physicians  to  the  recognition  of  the  op- 
posite and  only  efficacious  homoeopathic  method,     .         .         .     97-98 
\  62.  The  reason  of  the  injuriousness  of  the  palliative,  and  of  the  efficacy  of 

homoeopathic  treatment, 98 

}  63.  This  principle  is  founded  on  the  difference  of  primary  effect  of  each 
medicine  upon  the  organism,  and  the  counter  or  after-effect  produced 

by  the  vital  force,     . 98-99 

|  64.  Illustration  of  primary  and  after-effect,    .....  99 

{j  65.  Examples  of  both, 99-100 

§  66.  The  after-effect  of  the  vital  forc.e  becomes  apparent  only  through  the 
restitution  of  the  equilibrium  of  health,  after  the  minutest  homoeo- 
pathic doses, 100 

$  67.  These  truths  illustrate  the  efficacy  of  the  homoeopathic,  as  well  as  the 

injuriousness  of  the  antipathic  (palliative)  methods,        .         .         101 

NOTE. — Cases  in  which  the  antipathic  method  of  treatment  is  alone 

efficacious,          .         .         .         .         .         .         .        .         .         195 

§  68.  These  truths  establish  the  efficacy  of  the  homoeopathic  method  of 

treatment, 101 

\  69.  These  truths  prove  the  injuriousness  of  the  antipathic  method,  101-103 

NOTE  1. — Sensations  of  opposite  kind  are  not  neutralized  in  the 

sensory  system  of  the  human  body,  thus  differing  from  substances 

of  opposite  kind  in  chemistry, 196 

NOTE  2. — Illustrative  example, 196 

I  70.  Short  definition  of  the  homoeopathic  system,     .        !    .     .          103-104 

§  71.  The  three  necessary  conditions  for  curing  are:  1.  The  investigation 

of   the  disease.      2.  The  investigation  of  the  effects  of   medicines. 

3.  Their  appropriate  application, 104-105 

$  72.  General  view  of  diseases,  acute  and  chronic,     ....         105 
\  73.  Acute  diseases  of  single  individuals ;   sporadic,  ep^emic,  and  acute 

miasms, 105-107 

$  74.  The  most  intractable  form  of  chronic  disease,  is  that  produced  by  un- 
skilful allopathic  treatment,  .......  107 

\  75.  These  are  most  uncurable, 107 

|  76.  Only  when  there  remains  sufficient  vital  force,  the  lesion  may  be  re- 
paired in  timo,while  the  original  diseaseis  treated  homceopathically,  108 
\  77.  Diseases  which  are  improperly  called  chronic, ....         108 
\  78.  Genuinechronicdi.*eases,allof  themoriginateinchrouicmiasms,         109 

\  79.  Syphilis  and  sycosis, 109 

$  80-81.  Psora,  it  is  the  source  of  all  genuine  chronic  diseases,  excepting  the 
syphilitic  nnd  sycotic,       .......          109—110 

NOTE. — Nomenclature  of  common  pathology,      .        .        .        198 


CONTENTS.  XV11 

\  82.  The  more  specific  remedies  for  chronic  miasms,  especially  for  psora, 
should,  in  a  given  case,  be  selected  with   special  care  to  effect  a 

cure, Ill 

\  83.  The  conditions  necessary  for  the  perfection  of  a  record  (picture)  of  a 

case  of  disease, •    .        Ill 

\  84-99.  Directions  how  to  make  inquiry  into  a  case  of  disease,  and  how  to 

record  it, 112-116 

§100-102.  The  investigation  of  epidemic  diseases,     .        .        .         117-118 

g  103.  The  fundamental  cause  of  unsyphilitic  chronic  diseases,  as  well  as  the 

great  general  outlines  of  psora,  were  discovered  and  recorded  in  the 

same  manner,   .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .          118-119 

§  104.  Advantages  of  written  records  of  cases,  for  the  purpose  of  cure,  and 

observation  during  treatment, 119 

NOTE. — How  physicians  of  the  old  school  proceed  in  examining  a 

case  of  disease, 202 

\  105-114.  Premonitions  regarding  the  investigation  of  pure  drug-effects 
upon  the  healthy — Primary  and  secondary  effect,    .         .          119-123 

\  116.  Alternating  effects  of  drugs, 123-124 

\  116-117.  Idiosyncrasies, 124 

\  118-119.  Each  medicine  differs  in  effect  from  others,      .        .        .        125 

NOTE. — There  are  no  surrogates 204 

\  120.  Each  drug  should  be  tested  carefully  with  regard  to  its  peculiar 

effects, 126 

\  121-140.  How  to  proceed  when  testing  drugs  upon  other  persons,  125-133 

\  141.  Those  tests  of  drugs  are  most  reliable,  which  a  healthy  physician 

makes  upon  himself,          ........         133 

\  142.  The  investigation  of  pure  drug-effects  in  disease  is  difficult,    .         134 

§  143-145.  It  is  only  this  testing  of  medicines  upon  persons  in  health,  that 

leads  to  a  true  Materia  Medico,,         .....          134-135 

\  146.  The  most  appropriate  method  of  applying  medicines  tested  with  re- 
gard to  their  pure  effects, 135 

§  147.  The  most  homceopathically  adapted  medicine  is  the  most  efficacious, 

and  is  the  specific  remedy, 135 

§  148.  Indications  as  to  how  the  homoeopathic  cure  is  effected,         .        136 
\  149.  Homeopathic  cures  of  acute  diseases  are  rapid,  those  of  chronic  dis- 
eases require  proportionally  more  time,    .....         136 
NOTE. — Difference  between  pure   homoeopathy  and   mixed  prac- 
tice,    206 

\  150.  Slight  indispositions, 137 

§  151.  Strongly  marked  diseases  have  numerous  symptoms,      .        .        137 
§  152.  It  is  less  difficult  to  find  the  homoeopathic  remedy  for  diseases  pre- 
senting a  number  of  symptoms,        137 

\  163.  What  kind  of  symptoms  are  especially  to  be  noticed,      .          137-138 
§  154.  A  very  homoeopatnic  remedy  cures  without  causing  noticeable  dis- 
comfort,   .         , 138 

\  155.  The  reason  wny  such  cures  are  free  from  discomfort,     .        .        138 
§156.  The  causes  of  slight  exceptions  to  this  rule,    .        ...        .        189 

B 


XV111  CONTENTS. 

g  157-160.  The  medicinal  affection  which  is  very  similar,  but  somewhat 
superior  to  the  original  disease  in  intensity,  is  called  the  homoeopathic 
aggravation,  .........  189-140 

§  161.  In  chronic  (psoric)  diseases,  homoeopathic  aggravations  of  antipsoric 
medicines  appear  in  the  course  of  several  days,  from  time  to  time,  176 

§  162-171.  Rules  to  be  followed  in  case  the  stock  of  known  remedies  is  too 
small  to  admit  of  finding  a  perfect  homoeopathic  remedy,  176-179 

2  172-184.  Rules  to  be  followed  in  the  treatment  of  diseases  presenting  a 
scarcity  of  symptoms,  one-sided  diseases,  ....  144-147 

\  185-203.  Treatment  of  diseases  with  local  symptoms ;  their  external  treat- 
ment is  always  injurious, 140-154 

\  204-205.  All  genuine  chronic  diseases  (not  resulting  from,  and  maintained 
only  by  improper  habits),  are  to  be  treated  only  by  internal  homoeo- 
pathic remedies,  adapted  to  the  miasms  from  which  the  diseases 
sprang, 164-156 

\  206.  Inquiry  should  always  be  instituted  regarding  the  fundamental 
miasm,  whether  it  be  simple  or  complicated  with  a  second  (or  even  a 
third), 156 

$  207.  Inquiries  concerning  previous  treatment,        ....         157 

g  208-209.  Other  necessary  preliminary  inquiries  before  recording  a  chronic 
disease, 157 

§.  210-230.  Treatment  of  so-called  mental  diseases,    .        .        .          157-165 

§  231-232.  Intermittent  and  alternating  diseases,      .        .        .          165-166 

§  233-234.  Typical  intermittent  diseases, 166 

\  235-244.  Intermittent  fevers, 166-170 

§245-251.  The  mode  of  administration  of  medicines,  .  .  170-173 
NOTE. — Repetition  of  doses, 213 

\  252-256.  Signs  of  incipient  improvement,       ....          173-175 

\  25T.-258.  Cautions  against  favorite  remedies,  and  prejudices  against 
others, 175-176 

2  259-261.  The  regimen  in  chronic  diseases, 170 

NOTE. — Injurious  habits  and  abuses, 218 

g  262-263.  Diet  in  acute  diseases, 176-177 

2264-266.  The  selection  of  active  and  genuine  drugs,       .        .        .        177 

NOTE. — By  preparation,  some  medicinal  substances  become  articles 

of  diet, 219 

\  267.  The  preparation  of  the  most  efficacious  and  durable  form  of  medicinal 
substances  from  freshly  gathered  plants,  .  .  .  177-178 

§  268.  Dry  vegetable  substances, 178 

NOTE. — Pulverized  preparations  for  preservation,  .  .  220 

\  269-271.  The  method  peculiar  to  homoeopathy  of  preparing  crude  medici- 
nal substances  for  the  purpose  of  developing  their  curative  proper- 
ties to  the  highest  degree, 178-179 

j  272-274.  But  a  single,  simple  medicine  is  to  be  administered  to  the  patient 
at  a  time, 179 

8  275-278.  Quantity  of  the  dose  for  homoeopathic  use — The  increase  and 
diminution  of  the  dose,  its  potentiation 180-182 


CONTENTS.  Xli 

§  288-292.  The  parts  of  the  body  which  are  more  or  less  susceptible  of  the 

effects  of  medicines, 185-186 

NOTE. — Advantages  of   olfaction  of  highly   attenuated  medicine 
over  other  methods, 225 

Notes  and  explanatory  remarks  on  the  Text  of  the  Organon,    .  187-225 

Appendix  on  animal  magnetism,        ......  227-228 

Notes  and  explanatory  remarks  on  the  same,     ....  229-230 

Index,         .  231-244 


INTRODUCTION. 


REVIEW   OF   "PHYSIC"    AS   HITHERTO  PRACTICED, 
ALLOPATHY,  AND  PALLIATIVE  CURE  OF  THE 
OLD  SCHOOL  OF  MEDICINE. 


SINCE  man  existed  he  has  singly  or  in  numbers  been  ex- 
posed to  diseases  derived  from  physical  or  moral  causes.  During 
his  primitive  state  of  nature,  man  needed  but  few  remedies, 
since  a  simple  mode  of  living  admitted  but  few  diseases ;  together 
with  the  development  of  the  human  race  into  communities,  the 
causes  of  diseases,  and  the  necessity  for  methods  of  cure  increased 
with  even  pace.  From  that  time  forward  (soon  after  Hippocrates, 
that  is,  since  two  and  a  half  thousand  years-),  the  treatment  of 
rapidly  and  variously  increasing  diseases  became  the  occupation 
of  men,  who  conceitedly  endeavored  to  invent  modes  of  relief  by 
processes  of  reason  and  conjecture.  A  countless  variety  of  opin- 
ions on  the  nature  of  diseases  and  their  remedies,  sprang  from  a 
great  variety  of  minds,  and  the  theoretical  products  of  their  fan- 
cies were  called  (structures)  systems,  each  contradicting  the  others 
as  well  as  itself.  At  first  these  sophistical  representations  stupe- 
fied the  reader  into  astonishment  at  their  unintelligible  wisdom, 
and  drew  around  the  originator  of  the  system  a  host  of  imitators 
of  this  unnatural  sophistry.  These  disciples,  however,  had  little 
time  or  success  in  practicing  what  they  had  learned,  before  the 
system,  so  called,  was  superseded  by  another  often  entirely  oppo- 
site, and  destined  to  a  like  transient  reputation"  and  existence. 
None,  however,  were  in  harmony  with  nature  and  experience ; 
they  were  theoretical  fabrications  of  astute  minds,  nominally 
drawn  from  principles  utterly  useless  in  practice  at  the  bedside, 

2  (  17  ) 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

on  account  of  their  subtlety  and  opposition  to  nature,  and  served 
only  as  subjects  for  empty  disputations. 

Independently  of  all  these  theories,  there  was  developed  at 
the  same  time  a  manner  of  cure  with  unknown,  mixed  medicinal 
substances,  intended  for  gratuitously  constructed  forms  of  disease, 
arranged  according  to  material  ideas  contradicting  nature  and 
experience,  and,  hence,  necessarily  of  evil  result,  called  "  old 
medicine,"  allopathy. 

Without  ignoring  the  merits  of  many  physicians  in  relation 
to  the  auxiliary  sciences  pertaining  to  medicine,  such  as  the  ad- 
vancement of  physics  and  chemistry,  natural  history1  in  its  dif- 
ferent branches,  and  of  man  particularly,  anthropology,  physi- 
ology, anatomy,  etc.,  I  shall  now  only  consider  the  practical 
part  of  medicine,  that  of  curing,  in  order  to  show  how  imper- 
fectly diseases  have  hitherto  been  treated.  It  is  not  my  purpose, 
however,  to  notice  that  mechanical  routine  of  dealing  with  pre- 
cious human  life  according  to  pocket-formularies,  the  continued 
publication  of  which  proves  their  still  frequent  use.  I  leave 
that  unnoticed  as  the  scandalous  habit  of  the  scum  of  vulgar 
practitioners.  I  speak  only  of  the  hitherto  existing  medical  art, 
which  deems  itself  scientific  on  account  of  its  antiquity. 

This  ancient  school  of  medicine  boasted  much  of  its  ability  to 
say  that  its  practice  alone  deserved  the  name  of  "  rational  medi- 
cine," because  it  alone  searched  for,  or  sought  to  remove  the  cause 
of  disease,  and  that  it  proceeded  in  its  management  of  diseases  in 
imitation  of  nature. 

Tolle  causam  I  is  the  repeated  cry ;  but  their  achievements 
ended  with  that  cry.  They  fancied  they  could  find  the  cause  of 
disease;  but  did  not  find  it,  because  it  is  unrecognizable  and  not 
to  be  found.  Since  many,  indeed,  by  far  the  greater  number  of 
diseases  are  of  dynamic  (spirit-like)  origin  and  dynamic  nature, 
their  cause,  therefore,  remaining  unrecognizable  by  our  senses,  it 
became  necessary  to  invent  a  cause.  For  this  purpose  they  in- 
spected the  parts  of  the  normal,  dead  human  body  (anatomy), 
and  compared  them  with  the  visible  changes  in  the  correspond- 
ing parts  in  diseased  subjects  (pathological  anatomy).  They  in- 
stituted comparisons  between  the  phenomena  and  functions  of 
healthy  life  (physi  >logy),  and  the  endless  deviations  therefrom 


A   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  19 

occurring  in  countless  morbid  conditions  (pathology,  semeiology). 
They  proceeded  to  draw  conclusions  from  these  deviations  re- 
garding the  invisible  process  of  change  going  on  in  the  inward 
structure  of  the  diseased  human  organism,  and  shaped  these  con- 
clusions into  a  fanciful  picture  which  theoretical  medicine  mis- 
took for  the  prima  causa  morbi;\\~\  also,  for  the  proximate  cause 
of  disease,  the  inner  nature  of  disease,  and,  in  fact,  the  disease 
itself,  forgetting  the  axiom  of  common  sense,  that  the  cause  of  a 
thing  or  event  cannot  be  the  thing  or  event  itself. 

How,  then,  was  it  possible,  without  self-deception,  to  make 
this  internal,  invisible  essence  their  object  of  cure,  and  to  pre- 
scribe for  it  medicines  with  curative  tendencies,  likewise  most 
unknown,  and  above  all  to  make  use  of  several  unknown  medi- 
cines mixed  together  in  so-called  recipes? 

But  this  sublime  project  of  discovering  a  priori  an  internal, 
invisible  cause  of  disease,  was  changed  (at  least  in  the  hands  of 
those  old-school  physicians  of  wiser  conceit)  into  a  search  for 
that  cause,  however,  under  the  guidance  of  symptoms;  thus  by 
conjectures  they  tried  to  determine  first  the  general  character  of 
a  given  case  of  disease,[2]  and  then  to  find  if  it  were  cramp,  de- 
bility, paralysis,  fever,  inflammation,  induration,  or  deposits  in 
one  part  or  another,  or  plethora,  insufficiency  or  superabundance 
in  the  juices  of  oxygen,  carbon,  hydrogen,  or  nitrogen;  increased 
or  depressed  arterial,  venous  or  capillary  circulation ;  relative 
proportion  of  the  factors  of  sensibility,  irritability  or  reproduc- 
tion. Such  conjectures,  honored  by  the  hitherto  existing  school 
with  the  name  of  causal  indication,  and  regarded  as  the  only 
possible  rationality  in  medicine,  were  only  deceptive  and  hypo- 
thetical assumptions,  never  destined  to  be  either  practical  or  use- 
ful. They  were  unfit,  even  if  they  had,  or  could  have  been 
well  founded,  to  indicate  the  most  appropriate  remedy  in  a  case 
of  disease ;  mere  conjectures  which,  although  flattering  the  self- 
esteem  of  the  learned  author,  generally  lead  him  astray  in  prac- 
tice. Such  were  the  notions  designed  rather  for  the  sake  of  os- 
tentation than  as  means  of  finding  curative  indications. 

How  often  e.  g.,  there  appeared  to  be  cramp  or  paralysis  in 
one  part  of  the  organism,  while  inflammation  occurred  in  another!. 

Or,  whence,  on  the  other  hand,  could  the  infallibl0  "emedie? 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

for  each  of  these  alleged  general  characters  come?  The  most  in- 
fallible remedies  could  have  been  no  less  than  specifics,  i.  e. 
medicines  homogeneons[3]  in  their  action  with  the  morbific  irri- 
tation (Krankheits-Reize).  The  use  of  these  specifics,  however, 
had  been  prohibited[4]  and  condemned,  as  extremely  injurious 
by  the  old  school ;  because  observation  had  taught  that  such 
medicines,  in  the  customary  large  doses,  had  proved  to  be  dan- 
gerous on  account  of  the  highly  increased  receptivity  in  disease 
for  homogeneous  irritation.  The  old  school,  however,  had  no 
presentiment  of  minute  and  extremely  minute  doses.  Cures, 
then,  were  not  and  could  not  be  performed  in  the  direct  (natural) 
manner,  by  means  of  homogeneous,  specific  medicines  which 
were,  and  continued  to  be  unknown  in  regard  to  the  fullest  ex- 
tent of  their  effects;  and  even  if  this  knowledge  had  existed,  such 
generalizing  views  would  have  made  it  impossible  to  conjecture 
the  appropriate  remedy. 


But  since  it  began,  after  all,  to  appear  more  reasonable  to  seek, 
if  possible,  another  more  direct  path  in  the  place  of  circuitous 
measures,  the  old  school  of  medicine  proceeded  to  cancel  disease 
directly  by  eliminating  the  (alleged)  material  cause  of  disease; 
indeed,  it  was  almost  impossible  for  the  common  school  of  prac- 
titioners, in  contemplating  and  judging  a  disease,  or  in  seeking 
the  indications  for  its  cure,  to  free  their  minds  from  these  ideas 
of  materiality,  or  to  recognize  the  nature  of  an  organism  both 
spiritual  and  material,  as  a  being  so  highly  potentiated,  that  the 
modification  of  its  life,  called  disease,  manifested  by  sensations 
and  functions,  must  alone  be  regarded  as  conditioned  and  effected 
by  means  of  dynamic  (spirit-like)  influences,  and  that  such  sen- 
sations and  functions  could  be  effected  by  no  other  cause. 

Such  morbidly  altered  materials,  abnormal  turgescences,  as 
well  as  secretions,  were  throughout  regarded  by  the  old  school  as 
exciters,  or,  at  least  in  respect  to  their  reaction,  as  maintaiuers  of 
disease,  and  they  are  considered  as  such  to  this  day.  . 

Therefore  that  school  believed  in  the  achievement  of  causal 
cures  by  endeavoring  to  eliminate  those  imaginary  and  supposed 
causes  of  disease.  Hence  their  busy  endeavors  at  removing  bile 


A    REVIEW   OF    PHYSIC.  21 

in  bilious  fevers  by  vomiting  ;[5]  hence  their  emetics  in  so-called 
gastro-ataxia,[6  |  and  their  officiousness  in  purging  out  mucus,  as- 
carideSj  or  lumbricoids  in  pallor  of  the  countenance,  voraciousness, 
colic,  and  tumid  belly  of  children. [7]  Hence  their  venesections 
in  haemorrhages,[8]  and  hence,  principally,  all  sorts  of  bloodlet- 
ting,[9]  considered  by  that  school  as  a  chief  indication  in  inflam- 
mations, which  process  they  now  imagine  to  exist  in  almost  every 
morbidly  affected  part  of  the  body,  and  the  removal  of  which, 
by  means  of  a  fatal  number,  of  leeches,  they  consider  as  their 
duty,  therein  following  the  precedence  of  a  well-known  blood- 
thirsty physician  of  Paris  (like  sheep  following  the  bellwether 
even  into  the  hands  of  the  butcher).  They  think,  in  this  man- 
ner genuine  causal  indications  are  obeyed,  and  rational  cures 
performed.  Furthermore,  by  ligation  of  polypi,  by  excision  of 
indolent  glandular  swellings,  or  by  their  destruction  through 
artificial  suppuration,  excited  by  irritating  local  applications;  by 
enucleation  of  fatty  (steatomatous,  melicerous)  tumors;  by  oper- 
ating upon  aneurisms,  lachrymal  and  rectal  fistulae;  by  excision 
of  scirrhous  breasts,  amputation  of  necrosed  limbs,  etc.,  phy- 
sicians of  the  old  school  consider  that  they  have  radically  cured 
the  patient,  and  have  performed  causal  cures.  They  persist  in 
this  belief,  when  they  make  use  of  their  repettentia,  when  they 
exsiccate  inveterate,  ichorous  ulcers  of  the  leg  \vith  astringent 
applications ;  with  oxides  of  lead,  copper,  or  zinc  (perhaps  mak- 
ing incidental  use  of  laxatives,  thereby  producing  debility,  with- 
out relieving  the  fundamental  disorder);  when  they  cauterize  a 
chancre;  destroy  cauliflower  excrescences  by  local  applications; 
dispel  the  itch  from  the  surface  by  ointments  of  sulphur,  oxides 
of  lead,  quicksilver,  or  zinc;  suppress  ophthalmia  with  solu- 
tions of  lead  or  zinc,  or  when  they  drive  rheumatic  pains  from 
the  limbs  by  means  of  opodeldoc,  volatile  liniments,  or  fumi- 
gations with  cinnabar  or  amber.  In  all  such  cases  they  profess 
to  have  controlled  the  disorder,  conquered  the  disease,  and  to 
have  executed  causal  cures.  But  mark  the  result!  Metasche- 
matisms  (metastases),  sure  to  appear  sooner  or  later  (but  which 
are  then  pronounced  as  new  diseases),  and  invariably  more  serious 
than  the  primary  disorder,  refute  their  assertions  sufficiently,  and 
could  or  should  undeceive  them  by  disclosing  the  deeper,  imma- 


22  INTRODUCTION. 

lerial  nature  of  the  evil,  as  well  as  its  dynamic  (spirit-like) 
origin,  to  be  combated  only  by  dynamic  processes. 

In  modern  times  (not  to  say  up  to  the  present  time)  the  com- 
mon school  was  in  the  habit  of  presupposing  the  existence  of 
morbid  matter  (and  acrids)  which,  however  subtle  it  might  have 
been  considered,  they  sought  to  remove  from  the  blood  and  lym- 
phatics by  the  exhalations,  the  perspiration,  and  the  urinary  ap- 
paratus, or  through  the  action  of  the  salivary  glands;  to  eject 
them  in  the  shape  of  sputa  from  the  tracheal  and  bronchial  fol- 
licles; and  by  making  use  of  emetics  and  cathartics  to  clear  them 
out  of  the  stomach  and  intestines — all  for  the  purpose  of  expel- 
ling the  material  exciting  cause  of  the  disease  from  the  body, 
and  thus  fulfilling  the  conditions  for  a  thorough  causal  cure. 

By  means  of  incisions  into  the  skin  of  the  diseased  body,  into 
which  foreign  substances  were  introduced,  thereby  producing 
chronic  ulcers,  fontanels,  and  setons  continued  for  years,  the  old 
school  endeavored  to  draw  off  the  materia  peccans  from  the  dis- 
eased body  (always  affected  only  dynamically),  as  filthy  fluids  are 
drawn  from  a  barrel  through  a  faucet.  In  like  manner  it  was 
attempted  to  remove  noxious  humors  by  perpetual  application  of 
cantharides  and  spurge,  thus  only  weakening  the  diseased  body 
to  the  verge  of  incurability  by  all  these  inconsiderate  and  un- 
natural procedures. 

I  admit  that  it  was  more  convenient  for  human  weakness  to 
assume,  in  the  treatment  of  diseases,  the  existence  of  some  morbid 
matter,  perceptible  by  means  of  the  senses  (particularly  because 
the  patients  themselves  easily  inclined  to  such  an  idea),  having 
discovered  which,  nothing  remained  to  be  done  but  to  procure 
the  requisite  quantities  of  remedies  to  cleanse  the  blood  and 
juices,  to  promote  the  secretion  of  urine  and  perspiration,  to  assist 
expectoration  from  the  chest,  or  to  scour  the  stomach  and  intes- 
tines. On  this  account  scarcely  anything  is  found  in  all  works 
on  Materia  Medica,  from  Dioscorides  to  those  of  the  present  time, 
regarding  the  individual  remedies,  and  the  special,  proper  action 
of  each;  besides  references  to  their  supposed  utility  in  this  or 
t  hat  pathological  name,  remedies  are  alluded  to  only  with  regard 
to  their  properties  as  augmenting  the  flow  of  urine,  perspiration, 
secretions  of  the  chest,  or  menses;  but  particular  stress  is  laid 


A   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  23 

upon  their  power  of  producing  an  upward  or  downward  evacu- 
ation from  the  alimentary  canal;  because  the  only  aim  and  object 
of  practical  physicians  has  ever  been  the  evacuation  of  some 
material  morbific  substance,  as  well  as  of  several  kinds  of  ficti- 
tious humors,  alleged  to  form  the  basis  of  diseases. 

But  these  were  all  vain  dreams,  unfounded  suppositions,  "and 
hypotheses,  shrewdly  invented  for  the  convenience  of  therapeu- 
tics, according  to  which  diseases  were  most  readily  cured  by  the 
expulsion  of  material  morbific  matters,  if  such,  indeed,  existed ! 

But  the  essential  nature  of  diseases  and  their  cure,  cannot 
accommodate  themselves  to  such  dreams,  or  to  the  convenience 
of  physicians;  diseases  will  not  cease  to  be  (spiritual)  dynamic 
aberrations  of  our  spirit-like  life,  manifested  by  sensations  and 
actions;  that  is,  they  will  not  cease,  for  the  sake  of  those  foolish  and 
groundless  hypotheses,  to  be  immaterial  modifications  of  our  sen- 
sorial  condition  (health). 

These  causes  of  our  diseases  cannot  be  material  ones,  since  the 
least  foreign  material  substance[10],  however  mild  it  may  appear 
to  us,  if  introduced  into  our  bloodvessels,  is  suddenly  expelled 
like  a  poison  by  our  vital  force;  or,  where  that  is  impossible, 
death  is  the  result.  Even  if  the  smallest  splinter  is  by  accident 
inserted  into  our  sensitive  parts,  that  vital  principle,  omnipresent 
in  the  interior  of  our  body,  does  not  rest  until  the  offending  sub- 
stance has  been  removed  by  pain,  fever,  suppuration,  or  slough- 
ing. How  happens  it  then,  for  instance,  in  a  case  of  eruptive 
disease  of  twenty  years'  standing,  that  this  indefatigable,  active 
vital  principle  should  patiently  tolerate  in  the  juices  for  twenty 
years  a  foreign,  inimical,  material  eruptive  substance  (Ausschlags- 
Stoff)  such  as  herpetic,  scrofulous,  or  gouty  humors?  What 
nosologist  ever  beheld  with  bodily  eyes  such  morbific  matter,  that 
lie  should  speak  so  confidently  of  it,  and  make  it  the  basis  of  a 
medical  procedure?  Who  has  ever  been  able  to  prove  the  ex- 
istence of  the  poison  of  gout  or  of  scrofula  by  ocular  demon- 
stration ?[11] 

Even  if  some  material  substance,  brought  in  contact  with  the 
skin  or  a  wound,  had  propagated  diseases  by  infection,  who  can 
prove  (as  has  often  been  asserted  in  our  works  on  pathogeny)  that 
some  material  particle  of  that  substance  had  mingled  with,  or 


24  INTRODUCTION. 

had  been  absorbed  by  the  juices  of  our  body?  Washing  the 
sexual  organs,  even  if  immediately  and  carefully  done,  never  is 
a  protection  against  infection  by  venereal  chancre.  A  breath  of 
air  wafted  over  from  one  afflicted  by  small-pox,  can  call  forth 
this  horrible  disease  in  a  healthy  child. 

How  much  in  weight  of  material  matter  could  have  been  ab- 
sorbed in  this  manner  by  the  juices,  in  order  to  produce,  in  the 
first  instance,  if  left  uncured,  a  painfully  tormenting  disease 
(syphilis),  terminating  only  with  the  remotest  period  of  life,  that 
is  with  death,  and  to  produce,  in  the  second  instance,  a  disease, 
rapidly  fatal  by  its  tendency  to  general  suppuration[12]  (human 
small -pox)? 

'  Is  it  possible  to  admit  the  existence  of  material  morbific  mat- 
ter and  its  transition  into  the  blood  in  this  and  all  such  cases  ? 
A  letter  written  in  the  sick-room,  and  sent  a  great  distance,  has 
often  imparted  to  the  recipient  the  same  miasmatic  disease.  Can 
material  morbific  matter  be  thought  of  in  this  case  as  having 
permeated  the  humors  of  the  body  ?  But  why  all  these  proofs? 
Has  not  dangerous  bilious  fever  been  known  to  result  from  a 
mortifying  altercation  ?  Has  not  a  superstitious  prophecy  of 
death  been  known  to  come  true  at  the  predicted  time ;  or  a  sud- 
den arrival  of  sad  or  exceedingly  joyful  tidings  to  have  caused 
instantaneous  death  ?  Where,  in  such  instances,  is  the  material 
morbific  substance  said  to  have  passed  bodily  over  into  the  or- 
ganism, where  it  is  supposed  to  have  begotten  and  maintained  a 
disease,  and  without  the  actual  removal  and  ejection  of  which 
substance  a  radical  cure  is  said  to  be  impossible  ? 

The  defenders  of  an  assumption  so  gross  as  that  of  morbific 
matters,  should  blush  to  have  so  inconsiderately  overlooked  and 
misunderstood  the  spiritual  nature  of  life,  as  well  as  the  spiritual 
dynamic  power  of  pathogeuetic  causes  ;  thereby  having  degraded 
themselves  to  the  level  of  medical  scavengers  (Fegearzte),  who, 
instead  of  curing,  destroyed  life  by  their  endeavors  to  expel 
morbific  matter  from  the  diseased  body,  where  it  never  existed. 

Are  those  loathsome  and  impure  discharges  in  diseases  the 
source  and  maintainers  of  the  latter,  or,  on  the  contrary,  are  they 
not  always  effete  products  of  the  disease  itself,  that  is  to  say,  of  a 
dynamical  disturbance  and  modification  of  life  ? 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  25 

Considering  these  wrong  material  views  concerning  the  oiigin 
and  nature  of  diseases,  it  was  no  wonder,  that  in  all  ages  the 
efforts  of  little  and  great  practitioners,  as  well  as  the  invention 
of  the  sublimest  medical  systems,  were  invariably  and  principally 
directed  toward  elimination  and  expurgation  of  an  imaginary 
morbific  substance,  and  that  the  indication  most  frequently  to  be 
followed  was,  to  scatter  and  set  in  motion  the  morbific  accumu- 
lation, and  to  provide  for  its  expulsion  through  the  salivary  and 
tracheal  glands,  perspiration,  and  urine;  to  purify  the  blood  by 
potions  of  roots  and  herbs  (Wurzel  und  Holztranke),  regarded  as 
rational  and  obedient  servants  in  removing  morbific  matters 
(acrids  and  impurities)  which  never  existed;  furthermore,  to  draw 
off  mechanically  this  fictitious  matter  by  setons,  fontanels,  and 
by  keeping  up  constant  local  discharges  from  the  skin  with  blis- 
ters and  bark  of  spurge-laurel ;  but  the  chief  indication  was  to 
throw  off  and  purge  away  the  materia  peccans  or  noxious  sub- 
stances, as  they  were  called,  through  the  intestinal  canal  by  means 
of  laxatives  and  purgatives,  often  dignified  by  the  appellation  of 
solvents  (of  infarctions?)  and  gentle  aperients,  for  the  sake  of 
seeming  more  profoundly  significant,  and  giving  them  a  more 
flattering  appearance.  Such  were  the  measures  employed  in  the 
removal  of  hostile  pathogenetic  substances,  that  never  were,  nor 
could  have  been  present  in  the  production  or  maintenance  of 
diseases  as  they  occur  in  the  human  organism,  living  by  virtue 
of  a  spiritual  principle ;  diseases  that  never  could  have  been  of 
other  nature  than  that  of  a  dynamic  derangement  of  life  in  re- 
gard to  its  sensations  and  functions. [13] 

Now,  if  we  admit,  what  cannot  be  doubted,  that  no  disease 
(unless  occasioned  by  entirely  indigestible,  or  other  hurtful  mat- 
ter, swallowed  or  lodged  in  the  primse  vise,  or  other  apertures 
and  cavities  of  the  body,  or  caused,  e.  g.}  by  a  foreign  substance 
penetrating  the  skin)  can  be  derived  from  the  presence  of  any 
material  substance,  but  that  each  disease  is  always  and  only  a 
special,  virtual,  and  dynamical  discordancy  of  our  sensorial  con- 
dition (health),  how  inappropriate,  then,  it  must  appear  to  any 
reasonable  man  to  make  use  of  a  curative  method,  directed  to- 
ward the  evacuation[14]  of  those  fictitious  matters,  since  in  the 


26  INTRODUCTION. 

principal  diseases  of  mankind,  viz.,  the  chronic,  nothing  is  gainedj 
but  much  harm  always  done  by  such  measures ! 

In  short,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  these  degenerated  matters 
and  impurities,  becoming  visible  in  disease,  are  nothing  but  pro- 
ductions of  the  diseased  organism  itself,  laboring  under  abnormal 
functional  derangement,  and  that  they  are  frequently  expelled  by 
the  organism  with  violent — and  even  too  violent — an  action, 
without  the  aid  of  purgatives;  notwithstanding  which,  new  quan- 
tities of  refuse  matter  are  formed  as  long  as  the  organism  con- 
tinues to  suffer  from  this  disease.  These  substances  present 
themselves  to  the  true  physician  as  symptoms  of  the  disease,  and 
aid  him  in  recognizing  the  nature  and  image  of  the  same,  in 
order  to  cure  it  by  means  of  a  similar  medicinal  morbific  potency 
(Krankheits-Potenz).  The  modern  representatives  of  the  old 
school,  however,  no  longer  wish  to  appear  as  if  their  object  in 
curing  were  the  expulsion  of  morbific  material.  They  declare 
their  numerous  and  various  evacuants  to  be  employed  in  accord- 
ance with  a  derivative  method  of  cure,  as  an  example  of  which, 
they  regard  the  natural  spontaneous  efforts  of  the  diseased  organ- 
ism to  re-establish  health,  by  terminating  fevers  through  per- 
spiration and  urine ;  stitches  in  the  side  by  nosebleed,  sweating, 
and  expectoration  of  mucus;  other  diseases  by  vomiting,  diar- 
rhea, or  haemorrhage  from  the  anus  ;  arthritic  pains  by  sanious 
ulcers  of  the  leg ;  inflammation  of  the  throat  by  salivation,  etc., 
or  by  means  of  metastases  and  abscesses,  called  forth  by  nature 
in  parts  remote  from  the  seat  of  disease. 

For  these  reasons  they  considered  it  their  wisest  course  to 
imitate  nature  by  approaching  most  diseases  in  a  circuitous  way, 
after  the  manner  of  the  vital  force  when  left  to  itself.  For  these 
reasons  they  employed  indirect,[15]  stronger,  heterogeneous  irri- 
tation in  parts  remote  from  the  seat  of  disease,  caused  evacuations 
in  organs  least  related  (dissimilar)  to  the  diseased  structures,  and 
maintained  these  in  order,  as  it  were,  to  divert  the  disease  in  that 
direction. 

This  derivation  was,  and  continued  to  be,  one  of  the  chief  cura- 
tive methods  of  the  prevailing  school  of  medicine. 

In  this  imitation  of  nature  in  the  act  of  relieving  herself,  as 
others  express  it,  they  endeavored  forcibly  to  excite  now  symp- 


A   EEVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  27 

toms  in  structures  least  affected  by  the  disease,  and  better  able  to 
bear  drug  effects,  with  the  intention  of  diverting[16]  the  pri- 
mary disease,  apparently  in  the  form  of  critical  excreticns,  thus 
permitting  the  curative  powers  of  nature[17]  to  perform  the 
gradual  resolution  (lysis). 

This  was  executed  by  resorting  to  diaphoretics  and  diuretics, 
venesections,  setons,  and  fontanels ;  but  most  frequently  by  irri- 
tant evacuants  applied  to  the  oesophagus  or  intestinal  canal, 
acting  as  emetics  in  their  upward,  and  as  cathartics  in  their  • 
downward  action ;  being  employed  most  frequently  in  the  latter 
manner,  they  were  also  known  as  aperients  and  solvents.[18] 

By  way  of  assisting  this  derivative  method,  the  counter-irri- 
tants related  to  the  former  were  employed,  such  as  sheep's  wool 
worn  next  to  the  skin,  footbaths,  nauseants;  furthermore,  the 
stomach  and  intestines  were  tormented  by  hunger  (hunger-cure), 
or  by  remedies  producing  pain,  inflammation,  and  suppuration 
in  proximate  or  remote  parts,  such  as  horse-radish  and  mustard- 
poultices,  plaster  of  cantharides,  spurge-laurel,  setons  (fontanels), 
Authenrieth's  salve  (tartar  emetic  ointment),  moxa,  the  hot  iron, 
acupuncture,  etc. ;  all  done  in  imitation  of  the  crude  efforts  of 
nature,  who,  when  left  to  her  own  resources,  endeavors  to  free 
herself  from  dynamic  disease  by  creating  pain  in  remote  parts  by 
metastases  and  abscesses;  by  producing  eruptions  and  running 
sores,  all  of  no  avail  if  the  disease  is  chronic. 

Obviously,  therefore,  no  rational  grounds,  but  rather  the  con- 
venience of  curing  by  imitation,  governed  the  old  school  in 
using  these  absurd,  pernicious,  and  indirect  methods  of  cure, 
derivative,  as  well  as  counter-irritant,  and  induced  its  adoption 
of  these  unserviceable,  debilitating,  and  injurious  processes,  by 
which  disease  was  for  a  time  apparently  ameliorated  or  relieved, 
inasmuch  as  another  more  serious  malady  was  called  forth  in 
its  place.  Can  such  destructive  measures  be  properly  termed  a 
cure  ? 

The  old  school  merely  followed  the  rude  instinctive  example 
of  nature  in  her  inadequate[19]  endeavors  at  resistance,  when 
directed  against  moderately  acute  affections.  They  only  copied 
the  sustaining  power  of  life  (Lebens-Erhaltungs-Kraft),  which, 
incapable  of  exercising  reason  if  left  to  itself  in  diseases,  and 


28  INTRODUCTION. 

resting  entirely  upon  the  organic  laws  of  the  body,  acts  alone 
according  to  these  laws,  without  reason  or  deliberation.  They 
followed  crude  nature,  who  cannot,  like  a  skilful  surgeon,  heal  a 
wound  by  first  intention  by  coadapting  its  gaping  edges ;  who 
does  not  know  how  to  adjust  and  replace  the  divergent  ends  of  a 
fractured  bone,  notwithstanding  her  ability  to  furnish  (often  su- 
perabundantly) osseous  matter ;  who  cannot  tie  a  wounded  artery, 
but  exhausts  all  her  energy  in  causing  the  wounded  person  to 
bleed  to  death ;  who  does  not  know  how  to  reduce  a  dislocated 
humerus,  but,  on  the  contrary,  prevents  human  art  from  accom- 
plishing reduction  by  speedily  producing  a  swelling  around  the 
joint ;  who,  in  order  to  remove  a  splinter  from  the  cornea,  de- 
stroys the  whole  eye  by  suppuration ;  who,  in  spite  of  her  dis- 
play of  energy,  reduces  a  strangulated  inguinal  hernia  by  nothing 
less  than  mortification  of  the  intestines  and  death ;  and  who,  by 
transposing  morbid  processes  (Metaschematismen)  in  dynamic 
diseases,  often  increases  the  misery  of  the  sick.  Nay,  this 
unreasonable  vital  force  rashly  receives  into  the  body  those 
chronic  miasms  (psora,  syphilis,  sycosis),  the  greatest  tormentors 
of  our  earthly  existence,  the  source  of  innumerable  diseases, 
under  which  humanity  groans  for  hundreds,  nay,  for  thousands 
of  years,  and  unable  even  to  palliate  one  of  these,  this  same  vital 
force  is  utterly  incapable  of  removing  such  diseases  from  the 
organism  of  its  own  accord,  but  suffers  them  to  rankle  in  the 
system,  until  death  closes  the  eyes  of  the  sufferer  after  a  long 
life  of  sorrow. 

How  could  the  old  school,  calling  itself  rational,  be  justified 
in  choosing  this  unintelligent  vital  force,  this  blind  guide,  as  its 
best  instructor  in  an  office  of  such  high  importance  as  that  of 
healing,  requiring  so  much  thought  and  power  of  judgment? 
How  dared  it  imitate,  without  hesitation,  all  those  indirect  and 
revolutionary  processes  inaugurated  in  diseases  by  that  vital 
force,  and  copy  them  as  if  they  were  the  non  plus  ultra,  the  best 
that  reason  could  devise  ?  Did  not  God  grant  us  his  noblest 
gift,  reflecting  reason  and  unfettered  power  of  deliberation  in 
order  that  we  might,  for  the  benefit  of  mankind,  surpass  immeas- 
urably the  effort  of  the  unguided  vital  power  in  bringing  relief? 

If,  therefore,  the  ordinary  school  of  medicine,  in  its  rash  imi- 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  29 

tation  of  crude,  unreasonable,  automatic  vital  energy,  attacks 
the  unoffending  parts  and  organs  with  its  curative  methods  of 
counter-irritation  and  derivation  (its  usual  course  of  procedure), 
torturing  them  with  overpowering  pain,  or,  more  commonly, 
by  forcing  them  to  waste  their  strength  and  substance  in  evacu- 
ations, that  school  strives  to  divert  the  morbid  vital  activity 
from  the  originally  affected  portions  to  those  artificially  attacked, 
thus,  |?y  means  of  a  circuitous,  debilitating,  and  generally  pain- 
ful process,  indirectly  endeavoring  to  compel  the  natural  disease 
to  vanish,  and  trying  to  supplant  it  by  a  far  greater  heterogene- 
ous disease  in  healthier  parts.[20] 

Indeed,  the  disease,  if  acute,  and  consequently  destined  to  be 
of  short  duration,  will  vanish,  even  during  these  heterogeneous 
attacks  upon  remote  and  dissimilar  parts,  but  it  will  not  have 
been  cured.  There  is  nothing  deserving  the  distinguished  title 
of  a  cure  in  this  revolutionary*  treatment,  possessing  no  direct 
immediate  pathological  bearing  upon  the  structures  primarily 
affected.  It  may  be  confidently  assumed  that  the  acute  disease 
would  have  vanished  of  its  own  accord,  and  certainly  sooner, 
without  such  serious  assault  upon  sound  vital  parts,  and  without 
after-effects  and  less  waste  of  strength.  Neither  the  course 
adopted  by  crude  natural  force,  nor  the  allopathic  copy  of  the 
latter  can  bear  comparison  with  the  direct  dynamic  (homoeo- 
pathic) treatment,  which,  without  waste  of  strength,  rapidly  ex- 
tinguishes the  disease. 

But  in  by  far  the  greatest  proportion  of  cases  of  disease,  known 
as  chronic,  these  impetuous,  weakening,  and  indirect  therapeutic 
measures  of  the  old  school  scarcely  ever  prove  to  be  of  the  least 
benefit.  For  a  few  days  at  most  they  suspend  one  or  another  of 
those  troublesome  manifestations  of  disease  which  return,  how- 
ever, as  soon  as  nature  has  become  inured  to  that  counter-stimu- 
lus; and  the  disease  will  reappear  with  more  violence,  because 
the  vital  powers  have  been  reduced  by  the  pain [21]  of  counter- 
irritation  and  improper  evacuations. 


*  Synonymous  with  revulsive,  a  more  usual  medical  expression  ;  Hahne- 
mann  probably  intended  to  emphasize  the  idea  by  using  the  word  "  revolu- 
tio  lar." — TRANSLATOR. 


30  INTRODUCTION. 

While  most  physicians  of  the  old  school,  imitating  in  a  general 
manner  the  spontaneous  curative  efforts  of  crude  nature  aban- 
doned to  her  own  resources,  arbitrarily  exercised  in  their  practice 
this  nominally  useful  mode  of  derivation  (whenever  an  illusory 
indication  seemed  to  demand  it),  others  aiming  at  a  still  higher 
object,  and  seeing  the  incipient  struggles  of  nature  for  relief  in 
spontaneous  and  antagonistic  metastases,  they  undertook  to  ac- 
celerate and  increase  these  efforts  by  means  of  evacuants  and  de- 
rivatives, supposing  that  by  virtue  of  their  pernicious  measures 
they  were  acting  under  the  guidance  of  nature  (duce  natura),  and 
that  they  were  entitled  to  the  exalted  name  of  servants  of  nature 
(ministri  naturae). 

Having  observed  that  in  protracted  diseases  such  evacuations, 
induced  by  the  vitality  of  the  patient,  were  frequently  attended 
by  brief  remissions  of  severe  pains,  paralysis,  convulsions,  etc., 
the  old  school  regarded  these  derivative  actions  as  the  true  way 
to  be  followed,  and  therefore  accelerated,  maintained,  and  in- 
creased them  in  attempting  to  cure  diseases.  But  they  never  dis- 
covered that  all  such  evacuations  and  secretions  (seemingly  criti- 
cal), called  forth  by  the  spontaneous  efforts  of  nature  in  chronic 
diseases,  only  procured  palliative  and  brief  alleviation,  adding 
so  little  to  au  actual  cure,  that  their  influence  amounted  rather 
to  an  aggravation  of  the  original  internal  malady,  by  wasting 
strength  and  substance.  No  patient  suffering  from  a  protracted 
malady,  was  ever  known  to  have  regained  permanent  health  by 
those  rude  efforts  of  nature,  nor  any  chronic  disease  to  have  been 
cured  by  those  evacuations,  resulting  from  the  action[22]  of  the 
organism.  But  on  the  contrary,  after  a  brief  respite,  the  original 
evil  in  such  cases  evidently  increases;  the  duration  of  its  remis- 
sions grow  constantly  shorter  and  shorter,  while  the  painful 
periods  of  aggravation  return  with  more  frequency  and  violence, 
in  spite  of  the  continued  evacuations. 

The  same  result  may  be  observed  when  nature,  abandoned  to 
her  own  resources,  in  struggling  with  the  dangers  of  an  internal 
chronic  affection,  has  no  other  way  of  safety  than  that  of  pro- 
ducing external  local  symptoms,  for  the  purpose  of  diverting  the 
danger  from  parts  indispensable  to  life,  and  directing  them  to 
structures  of  les?  vital  importance  (metastasis).  Hence,  those 


A   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  31 

procedures  of  the  energetic  vital  force  being  devoid  of  reason, 
reflection,  or  precaution,  will  never  lead  to  actual  relief  or  to  a 
real  cure;  they  are  mere  brief,  palliative  respites  in  the  danger- 
ous course  of  the  inner  disease,  at  the  sacrifice  of  much  strength 

'  O 

and  substance,  without  diminishing  the  primitive  disease  in  the 
least  degree.  These  measures,  at  most,  are  able  to  postpone  dis- 
solution which,  without  the  intervention  of  a  genuine  homeo- 
pathic cure,  would  be  the  inevitable  result. 

From  the  allopathic  point  of  view  held  by  the  old  school, 
those  rude,  automatic  efforts  of  nature  were  not  only  greatly 
overestimated,  but  totally  misinterpreted  as  genuine  curative 
agencies;  they  were  increased  and  accelerated  under  the  vain 
hope  of  destroying  and  radically  curing  the  entire  evil.  When- 
ever, in  cases  of  chronic  disease,  one  or  another  of  the  intolerable 
symptoms  of  the  inner  disease  appeared  to  be  relieved  by  efforts 
of  vitality,  producing,  for  example,  a  moist  eruption  on  the  skin, 
in  that  case  the  servant  of  rude  nature  (minister  naturae)  would 
place  a  plaster  of  cantharides,  or  an  exutorium  (spurge-laurel) 
upon  the  ichorous  surface,  in  order  to  draw  out  more  humor' 
(moisture)  from  the  skin  (duce  natura),  for  the  purpose  of  assist- 
ing and  supporting  the  purpose  of  nature  (by  removing  the  mor- 
bific matter  from  the  body  ?).  But  sometimes,  if  the  effect  of  the 
remedy  proved  to  be  too  intense,  the  moist  eruption  too  inveter- 
ate, and  the  body  too  irritable,  that  servant  of  nature  had  only 
increased  the  external  affection  considerably,  without  benefit  to 
the  primitive  disease.  He  aggravated  the  pains,  which  deprived 
the  sufferer  of  sleep,  and  reduced  his  strength  (or  even  brought 
on  a  febrile  or  malignant  form  of  erysipelas).  At  other  times, 
by  gently  acting  upon  the  local  disease  (perhaps  yet  recent),  by  a 
kind  of  improper,  superficial  homoeopath  ism,  he  would  thus  drive 
away  from  its  site  that  local  symptom,  set  up  by  nature  on  the 
skin  for  the  relief  of  the  inner  more  dangerous  evil ;  but  he  thereby 
increased  the  latter,  and  induced  the  vital  powers  to  institute  a 
more  serious  metaschematism  towards  other  and  more  vital  parts. 
In  place  of  those  local  symptoms,  the  patient  then  suffered  from 
dangerous  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  deafness,  cramps  of  the  stom- 
ach, epileptiform  spasms,  attacks  of  asthma,  apoplexy,  or  men- 
tal disorders,  etc.[23] 


32  INTRODUCTION'. 

Acting  under  the  same  delusion  of  assisting  the  vital  forces  in 
their  curative  endeavors,  that  minister  naturce  applied  numerous 
leeches,  in  case  the  diseased  force  of  nature  caused  congestion  of 
the  rectum  or  anus  (blind  piles),  hoping  to  furnish  an  outlet  for 
the  blood  in  that  place.  The  result  would  be  a  brief  and  scarcely 
noticeable  improvement,  but  with  loss  of  bodily  strength,  giv- 
ing rise  to  more  violent  congestion  to  those  parts,  without  lessen- 
ing the  original  disease  in  the  least  degree. 

In  nearly  every  case  where  the  morbid  vitality  strove  to  evacu- 
ate a  little  blood  by  means  of  ernesis  or  cough,  etc.,  in  order  to 
allay  a  dangerous  internal  affection,  the  old  school  physician  has- 
tened to  assist  (duce  natura)  those  supposed  curative  efforts  of 
nature  by  copious  abstraction  of  blood  from  a  vein ;  but  never 
without  evil  consequences  in  the  future,  or  without  evident  de- 
bilitation of  the  body. 

In  order  to  promote  the  intentions  of  nature,  the  old  school 
physician  was  in  the  habit  of  treating  cases  of  chronic  nausea  by 
causing  profuse  evacuations  from  the  stomach,  by  administering 
powerful  emetics — never  with  a  beneficial,  but  often  with  evil 
result;  not  infrequently  with  dangerous  and  even  fatal  conse- 
quences. 

To  relieve  an  internal  morbid  condition,  the  vital  force  some- 
times produces  violent  swellings  of  external  glands,  in  which 
event  that  pretended  servant  of  nature  entertains  the  hope  of  as- 
sisting her  purposes  by  inflaming  those  swellings  by  all  sorts  of 
stimulating  ointments  and  plasters,  and  then  opening  the  ripe 
abscess  by  incision,  to  allow  the  escape  of  the  offending  morbific 
matter  (?).  But  experience  furnishes  hundreds  of  proofs  of  the 
protracted  mischief  resulting  unexceptionally  from  such  proceed- 
ings. 

Having  frequently  observed  in  chronic  disorders  slight  allevia- 
tion of  great  distress,  following  spontaneous  night-sweats,  or  loose 
alvine  discharges,  the  old  school  practitioner  considers  himself 
bound  to  follow  and  promote  these  hints  of  nature  (duce  natura) 
by  instituting  and  maintaining  copious  perspirations,  or  by  sub- 
jecting his  patient  for  years  to  a  course  of  so-called  gentle  laxa- 
tives, in  order  to  sustain  and  increase  those  efforts  of  nature  (the 
ntal  force  of  the  unintelligent  organism)  leading,  as  he  thinks, 


A   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  33 

to  the  cure  of  the  entire  chronic  disorder,  and  to  the  more  speedy 
liberation  of  the  patient  from  his  disease  (the  substance  causing 
the  disease?). 

But  the  result  is  always  contrary  to  the  intention  :  aggrava- 
tion of  the  original  complaint. 

In  accordance  with  his  preconceived,  though  groundless  opin- 
ions, the  physician  of  the  old  school  persists  in  his  process  of 
promoting[24]  those  endeavors  of  morbid  vitality,  and  of  in- 
creasing those  ever  ruinous  and  never  salutary  derivative  and 
evacuant  efforts  of  the  patient's  system.  He  does  not  perceive 
that  all  above-named  local  symptoms,  evacuations,  and  apparent 
derivative  actions  (begun  and  supported  by  the  unthinking,  un- 
guifled  vital  force  in  conquering  the  original  chronic  disease)  are 
in  fact  the  disease  itself,  and  the  signs  of  the  entire  disorder,  for 
the  cure  of  which,  a  homoeopathic  medicine,  selected  in  accord- 
ance with  its  similitude  of  effect,  would  have  been  the  most  suc- 
cessful and  speedy  remedy. 

Since  the  crude  efforts  of  nature  for  attaining  relief  in  acute, 
and  more  particularly  in  chronic  diseases,  are  extremely  imperfect 
and  in  themselves  a  disease,  it  was  readily  to  be  understood  that 
the  artificial  furtherance  of  these  efforts  would  only  increase  the 
difficulty;  to  say  the  least,  it  would  not  be  an  improvement  on  the 
spontaneous  efforts  of  nature  in  the  case  of  acute  affections.  The 
vital  power  in  producing  its  crises,  moves  in  obscure  ways  which 
medical  art  was  incompetent  to  follow;  therefore  the  latter  only 
undertakes  to  reach  its  object  from  without  by  violent  remedies, 
much  less  beneficial,  but  on  the  contrary,  far  more  aggravating 
and  debilitating  than  the  means  employed  by  the  instinctive, 
unguided  vital  force  left  to  itself.  Not  even  that  imperfect  kind 
of  relief,  induced  by  natural  derivatives  and  crises,  can  be  pro- 
duced by  allopathy  in  a  similar  manner;  that  school  will  find 
itself  greatly  outdone,  even  by  curative  measures  as  imperfect  as 
those  of  vitality  left  to  itself. 

By  the  use  of  lacerating  implements  it  was  attempted  to  pro- 
duce nosebleed  in  imitation  of  the  natural  kind,  for  the  purpose 
of  relieving,  for  example,  attacks  of  chronic  headache.  Although 
blood  was  made  to  flow  abundantly  from  the  nasal  cavities,  de- 
priving the  patient  of  strength,  yet  the  relief  thus  obtained 

3 


34  INTRODUCTION. 

amounted  to  nothing,  or  was,  at  least,  far  more  insignificant  than 
if,  at  other  times,  but  a  few  drops  were  shed  by  the  instinctive 
and  spontaneous  impulses  of  the  vital  force. 

So-called  critical  perspiration  or  diarrhoea,  caused  by  the  ever 
active  vital  force  after  sudden  attacks  of  sickness,  occasioned  by 
mental  agitation,  fright,  strains,  or  cold,  will  remove  these  acute 
affections,  though  temporarily,  with  far  more  efficacy  than  all 
the  sudorific?  or  cathartics  obtained  from  the  apothecary-shop, 
which  increase  the  trouble,  as  daily  experience  teaches. 

The  vital  force,  capable  of  acting  only  in  harmony  with  the 
physical  arrangement  of  our  organism,  and  without  reason,  in- 
sight, or  reflection,  was  not  given  to  us  that  we  should  regard  it 
as  the  best  guide  in  the  cure  of  diseases  (Krankheits-Heilerfn), 
having  the  power  of  reducing  those  sad  deviations  from  health 
to  their  normal  standard ;  and  still  less  was  that  vital  force 
given  <o  us,  that  its  imperfect  and  morbid  efforts  (to  rescue  itself 
from  disease)  might  be  imitated  by  servile  physicians,  adopting 
methods  more  inappropriate  and  depressing  than  those  of  the 
vital  force  itself;  nor  that  indolent  physicians  might  be  enabled 
to  spare  themselves  all  intellectual  effort,  reflection,  and  consid- 
eration, necessary  for  the  discovery  and  practice  of  the  noblest  of 
human  arts,  the  true  art  of  healing,  instead  of  contenting  them- 
selves with  imperfect  imitation  of  the  crude  curative  efforts  of 
unintelligent  nature,  and  then  proclaiming  theirs  as  the  "  rational 
art  of  healing." 

What  man  of  sense  would  undertake  to  imitate  nature  in  her 
endeavors  of  coming  to  the  rescue?  Those  efforts  are,  in  fact, 
the  disease  itself;  and  the  morbidly  affected  vital  force  is  the 
producer  of  disease  becoming  manifest.  Necessarily,  therefore, 
every  artificial  imitation  as  well  as  the  suppression  of  these  natu- 
ral efforts  must  either  increase  the  evil,  or  render  it  dangerous 
by  suppression ;  the  allopathist  does  both,  and  then  extols  this 
practice  as  healing  art,  as  "  rational"  healing  art! 

He  is  in  the  wrong.  That  noble  innate  power,  destined  to  govern 
life  in  the  most  perfect  manner  during  health,  equally  present  in 
all  parts  of  the  organism,  in  the  sensitive  as  well  as  in  the  irri- 
table fibre;  that  untiring  mainspring  of  all  normal,  natural, 
bodily  functions,  was  never  created  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  35 

itself  in  diseases,  nor  to  exercise  a  healing  art  worthy  of  imitation. 
No  !  The  true  healing  art  is  that  intellectual  office  incumbent  on 
the  higher  human  mind,  and  free  powers  of  thought,  discriminating 
and  deciding  according  to  causes  ;  a  duty  of  which  office  is,  when- 
ever that  instinctive,  unconscious,  and  unreasoning,  but  automatic, 
energetic  vital  force  has  been  thrown  into  discordant  action  by  dis- 
ease, to  harmonize  those  discordancies  by  means  of  a  similar  patho- 
genetic  affection  of  higher  degree,  originated  by  a  drug  homceopathi- 
cally  selected;  after  this,  ttie  natural  morbid  affection  will  no  longer 
be  able  to  act  upon  the  vital  force,  which  will  get  rid  of  the  former, 
while  the  latter  merely  continues  to  be  engaged  with  the  similar, 
rather  more  powerful  pathogenetic  drug  affection,  against  which  it 
may  now  direct  its  entire  energy ;  ere  long  the  drug  affection  will 
be  overcome,  leaving  the  vital  power  free  and  able  to  return  to  its 
normal  condition  of  health,  and  to  its  destination:  "to  animate  th( 
organism  and  maintain  its  health,"  without  having  suffered  painful 
or  debilitating  onslaughts  during  these  transformations.  How  to 
reach  this  result  is  taught  by  the  homosopathic  healing  art. 


Not  a  few  patients,  however,  treated  according  to  the  above- 
named  methods  of  the  old  school,  escaped  from  their  diseases, 
not  the  chronic  (nnvenereal)  kinds,  but  merely  from  the  acute, 
less  dangerous  forms ;  and  this  was  accomplished  by  means  so 
painful,  circuitous,  and  often  so  imperfect  that  such  treatment 
could  not  properly  be  called  a  cure  accomplished  by  gentle 
means.  By  abstracting  blood,  or  by  suppressing  one  of  the  main 
symptoms  through  the  agency  of  an  enantiopathic,  palliative 
remedy  (contraria  contrariis],  those  less  dangerous  cases  of  acute 
disease  were  kept  under,  or  suspended  by  means  of  counter- 
stimulants  and  derivatives  (antagonistic  and  revellent  remedies) 
directed  to  parts  remote  from  the  seat  of  disease,  up  to  the  time 
at  which  the  brief  illness  would  have  terminated  its  natural 
course.  These  circuitous  proceedings  deprived  the  patient  of 
strength  and  substance  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  greater  and 
better  pivrt  of  the  work  of  completing  the  cure  of  the  disease,  of 
restoring  the  wasted  strength  and  substance  of  the  patient,  was 


36  INTRODUCTION. 

left  to  nature's  supporting  power  of  life ;  this,  besides  conquering 
the  natural  acute  disease,  had  now  the  superadded  burden  of 
overcoming  the  consequences  of  improper  treatment.  In  less 
dangerous  cases  the  power  of  nature  succeeded  by  its  own  energy, 
however  laboriously,  imperfectly,  and  under  great  difficulties, 
gradually  to  restore  the  functions  to  their  normal  condition. 

It  remains  highly  dubious  whether  the  natural  process  of  re- 
covery is  really  shortened  or  assisted  in  the  least  by  the  interfer- 
ence of  the  old  practice  in  cases  of  acute  disease;  since  neither 
physician  nor  nature  could  act  otherwise  than  indirectly,  except- 
ing that  the  derivative  and  antagonistic  appliances  of  the  former 
are  much  more  severe  and  weakening  than  the  processes  of  the 
latter. 


The  old  school  possesses  still  another  curative  process,[25] 
called  the  stimulating  and  tonic  method  (by  means  of  excitants, 
neivines,  tonics,  comfortants,  roborants).  It  is  surprising  that  they 
should  boast  of  this  mode  of  treatment. 

Has  the  old  school,  notwithstanding  its  frequent  attempts,  ever 
been  able  to  remedy  the  bodily  weakness,  caused,  kept  up,  and 
increased  by  a  chronic  disease,  by  prescribing  ethereal  Rhenish 
wine  or  fiery  Tokay?  In  such  cases  strength  would  only  be 
more  and  more  reduced  (since  the  origin  of  debility,  the  chronic 
disease,  had  not  been  cured),  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of 
wine  which  the  patient  had  been  ordered  to  consume ;  because,  in 
the  secondary  action  of  the  vital  force,  debility  succeeds  artificial 
excitement. 

Or  was  strength  ever  restored  by  Cinchona  bark  in  any  of  these 
numerous  cases,  or  by  those  ill-understood,  ambiguous  substances 
known  as  bitters,  so  hurtful  in  many  other  respects?  Have  not 
these  vegetable  substances,  together  with  the  preparations  of  iron, 
declared  under  all  circumstances  to  be  tonic  and  strengthening, 
added  new  diseases  to  the  older  ones,  by  virtue  of  their  peculiar 
pathogenetic  properties,  without  mitigating  the  debility,  depend- 
ent on  inveterate  and  unknown  disease  of  long  standing? 

Was  an  incipient  paralysis  of  an  arm  or  a  leg  (commonly  pro- 
duced by  a  chronic  malady)  ever  diminished  in  the  least,  or  with 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  37 

any  degree  of  permanency  by  those  so-called  unguenia  nervine,  or 
any  of  the  other  ethereal  or  balsamic  inventions,  without  the  pre- 
vious eradication  of  the  malady  itself?  Or  have  electric  and 
voltaic  shocks  ever  produced  any  other  eifects[26]  upon  such 
limbs  beyond  increasing,  or  even  completing,  the  paralysis  and 
extinction  of  muscular  activity,  or  the  sensitiveness  of  nerves? 

Have  not  those  highly  praised  excitants  and  aphrodisiacs,  such 
as  amber,  the  smelt,  tincture  of  cantharides,  truffles,  cardamom 
seeds,  cinnamon,  and  vanilla,  invariably  produced  complete  im- 
potence (always  based  upon  a  chronic  miasm),  when  the  sexual 
power  had  been  previously  weakened  ? 

Why  should  an  excitement  or  increase  of  strength,  lasting  a 
few  hours,  be  looked  upon  as  a  success,  when  the  subsequent  re- 
sult proves  to  be  the  permanent  counterpart;  when  the  evil  has 
been  rendered  incurable,  in  accordance  with  the  laws  governing 
the  action  of  all  palliatives  ? 

The  slight  benefit  derived  from  excitants  and  roborants,  dur- 
ing convalescence  from  acute  diseases  (treated  in  the  old  manner), 
was  overbalanced  a  thousand  times  by  the  ill  effects  produced 
by  these  remedies  in  chronic  diseases. 


Whenever  old  medicine  is  at  loss  what  to  do  in  a  tedious  dis- 
ease, it  blindly  blunders  away  with  its  so-called  alterative  reme- 
dies (alterantia) ;  in  that  case  the  dreadful  mercurials  (calomel, 
corrosive  sublimate,  and  mercurial  ointment)  are  used  as  its  chief 
remedies,  which  (in  non-venereal  diseases)  are  perniciously  per- 
mitted to  act  upon  the  body  in  quantities,  and  for  a  length  of 
time  sufficient  to  undermine  the  health  entirelv.  Great  changes 

* 

are  truly  wrought  in  this  manner,  but  always  of  an  evil  kind, 
and  health  is  always  completely  ruined  by  this  extremely  hurt- 
ful metal  when  its  use  is  out  of  place. 

Cinchona  bark,  specific  as  a  homoeopathic  fever  remedy  only 
in  genuine  swamp-ague  (provided  it  is  used  in  the  absence  of 
psora),  is  now  prescribed  in  massive  doses  in  all  epidemic  inter- 
mittent fevers,  often  spread  over  large  countries ;  herein  the  old 
school  evinces  its  palpable  rashness,  for  these  fevers  assume  a 


38  INTRODUCTION. 

different  character  every  year,  and  therefore  almost  always  de- 
mand for  their  removal  another  homoeopathic  remedy,  which,  if 
administered  in  one,  or  some  few  very  minute  doses,  cures  then? 
radically  in  a  few  days.  Since  these  epidemic  fevers  have  regu- 
lar periods  of  occurrence  (type),  and  since  only  the  type  of  these 
intermittent  fevers  is  recognized  by  the  old  school,  knowing  no 
other  fever  remedy  than  Peruvian  bark,  nor  desirous  of  knowing 
any  other,  that  school,  I  say,  in  its  monotonous  routine,  imagines 
that  it  has  cured  these  fevers  as  long  as  the  type  of  these  epi- 
demics can  be  suppressed  by  large  doses  of  bark,  or  its  expensive 
extract  (quinia) ;  (the  irrational  vital  force  proving  wiser  in  this 
instance,  often  seeking  to  prevent  this  suppression  for  months). 
But  the  duped  patient  grows  constantly  worse  after  such  a  sup- 
pression of  the  periodicity  (type)  of  his  fever  than  he  was  during 
the  attack  itself.  With  sallow  countenance,  difficulty  of  breath- 
ing, constriction  in  the  hypochondriac  regions,  disturbed  digestion, 
and  loss  of  appetite,  without  refreshing  sleep,  weak  and  listless, 
often  with  tense  swelling  of  the  legs,  abdomen,  or  even  of  the 
face  and  hands,  that  patient  creeps  out  of  the  hospital,  dismissed 
as  cured,  and  not  infrequently  years  of  laborious  homoeopathic 
treatment  are  required,  perhaps  not  to  heal  and  restore  the  health, 
but  merely  to  continue  the  life  of  one  of  those  patients,  radically 
ruined  (cured?),  and  made  the  victim  of  an  artificial  cachexia. 

The  old  school  delights  in  its  ability  to  convert  the  stupor 
peculiar  to  typhoid  fevers  into  a  kind  of  temporary  exhilaration 
by  means  of  valerian,  possessing  antipathic  properties  in  such 
cases;  but  since  this  exhilaration  does  not  last,  and  another  brief 
space  of  animation  can  only  be  gained  by  increased  doses  of  va- 
lerian, the  point  is  soon  reached  at  which  even  the  largest  doses 
cease  to  act. 

This  palliative,  after  having  excited  the  patient  by  its  primary 
action,  paralyzes  the  entire  vital  force  by  its  secondary  eifect, 
thus  insuring  the  speedy  dissolution  of  the  sufferer  by  means  of 
this  rational  mode  of  treatment  peculiar  to  the  old  school;  none 
will  escape  from  it.  And  still  the  followers  of  this  routine-prac- 
tice never  learn  to  see  how  surely  its  treatment  will  prove  fatal; 
because  the  fatal  result  is  invariably  ascribed  to  the  rnaliomaricy 

*  J 

of  the  disease. 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  38 

A  palliati  /e  that  deserves  to  be  dreaded  by  patients  even  more 
than  the  last  is  Digitalis  purpurea;  this  was  hitherto  the  pride  of 
the  old  school  when  the  too  rapid  and  excited  pulse,  in  chronic 
diseases,  was  to  be  compelled  (in  true  symptomatic  fashion)  to 
beat  more  slowly.  Although  it  is  truly  astonishing  how  this 
powerful  remedy,  by  its  enantiopathic  effect,  quiets  the  rapid,  ex- 
cited pulse,  and  how  it  diminishes  the  pulsation  of  the  arteries 
in  a  marked  degree,  for  a  few  hours  after  the  first  dose  ;  yet  soon 
the  pulse  will  become  rapid  again.  Now  the  dose  is  increased, 
that  it  may  once  more  reduce  its  velocity  a  little,  and  it  is  reduced 
accordingly,  but  only  for  a  shorter  period  than  before,  and  so  on, 
until  the  last  and  highest  palliative  doses  cease  to  have  any  effect, 
and  the  pulse,  no  longer  able  to  resist  the  after-effects  of  the  fox- 
glove, now  becomes  far  more  frequent  than  it  was  previous  to 
the  use  of  that  herb;  its  beats  can  be  counted  no  longer;  sleep, 
appetite,  and  strength  vanish,  and — the  patient  pays  the  cost 
with  his  life;  none  will  escape;  death,  or  hopeless  insanity[27] 
is  the  inevitable  result. 


This  was  the  treatment  of  the  allopathic  physician.  But  the 
patients  were  obliged  to  conform  to  this  "deplorable  necessity,  be- 
cause they  fared  no  better  at  the  hands  of  others  of  the  same 
school,  who  had  derived  their  knowledge,  from  the  same  decep- 
tive books. 

The  fundamental  cause  of  chronic  diseases  (non-venereal),  to- 
gether with  their  remedies,  remained  unknown  to  those  practi- 
tioners, vainly  boasting  of  causal  cures,  and  their  diagnosis 
founded  on  the  investigation  into  the  genesis  of  the  disease. 
How  dared  they  attempt  the  eradication  of  that  long  list  of 
chronic  diseases  with  their  indirect  measures,  their  pernicious  imi- 
tations of  the  irrational  vital  force  in  its  spontaneous  struggles 
for  relief,  never  intended  as  a  model  for  the  treatment  of  diseases  ? 

Mistaking  the  imaginary  character  of  the  disease  for  the  cause, 
they  directed  their  radical  curative  measures  against  cramp,  in- 
flammation (plethora),  fever,  general  and  partial  debility,  mucus, 
putrefaction,  infarctions,  etc.,  all  of  which  they  thought  them- 


40  INTRODUCTION. 

selves  able  to  remove  by  means  of  their  (superficially  known; 
antagonistic  remedies,  such  as  antispasmodics,  antiphlogistics, 
tonics,  stimulants,  antiseptics,  solvents,  percutients,  derivatives, 
and  evacuants.[28] 

Curative  drugs,  however,  can  never  be  found  if  searched  for 
under  the  guidance  of  such  general  indications,  especially  in  the 
common  Materia  Medica  of  the  old  school,  based,  as  I  have 
shown  elsewhere,[29]  mostly  upon  conjectures  and  false  conclu- 
sions, ab  usu  in  morbis,  and  mingled  with  falsehood  and  deceit. 

With  an  equal  degree  of  recklessness  they  waged  war  against 
still  more  hypothetical  so-called  indications,  such  as  deficiency 
or  surplus  of  oxygen,  nitrogen,  carbon  or  hydrogen  in  the  juices ; 
or  against  increased  or  diminished  susceptibility  of  the  sensitive 
sphere,  or  of  reproduction ;  against  arterial,  venous,  and  capillary 
engorgement,  asthenia,  etc.,  without  due  knowledge  of  the  means 
of  cure  applicable  to  so  fanciful  an  object.  This  was  mere  os- 
tentation ;  treatment  to  be  sure,  but  not  for  the  benefit  of  the 
patient. 

The  last  vestige  of  the  apparent  propriety  of  that  kind  of 
treatment  was  destroyed  by  the  ancient  custom,  now  even  made 
obligatory,  of  compounding  drugs  inform  of  a  recipe.  The  true 
action  of  these  medicinal  substances,  ever  and  unexceptional ly 
varying  from  each  other  in  effect,  was  almost  entirely  unknown. 
In  preparing  a  recipe,  some  drug  (unknown  as  to  the  scope  of  its 
pathogenetic  effects)  is  placed  at  the  head  of  the  list,  as  principal 
remedy  (basis),  in  order  to  conquer  what  the  physician  considers  as 
the  principal  character  of  the  disease ;  then  one  or  more  remedies 
(equally  unknown  as  to  the  scope  of  their  effects)  are  added  either 
for  the  purpose  of  removing  certain  accessory  indications,  or  by 
way  of  assistance  to  the  rest  (adjuvantia) ;  finally,  a  third  sub- 
stance (the  limits  of  whose  action  are  equally  unknown)  is  in- 
troduced, in  order  to  correct  the  effect  of  the  others  (corrigens)  • 
whereupon  the  whole  is  mixed  (decocted,  extracted) ;  or,  perhaps, 
put  in  shape,  combined  with  a  medicated  syrup  of  different 
quality,  or  distilled  medicated  water ;  all  this  is  done  under  the 
impression,  that  each  of  these  component  parts  (ingredients) 
would  fulfil  in  the  body  of  the  patient  the  duty  assigned  to  it  in 
the  imagination  of  the  prescriber,  without  being  disturbed  or 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  41 

confused  by  the  other  things  in  the  mixture,  as  should  reasona- 
bly be  expected.  One  of  these  ingredients  must  partially  or 
wholly  cancel  the  effect  of  the  other,  or  impart  to  it  or  to  the 
remainder  a  different,  unexpected  mode  of  action  and  direction, 
thus  making  it  impossible  to  obtain  the  desired  effect.  The  result 
was  frequently  of  a  kind  Avhich  neither  was  nor  could  have  been 
anticipated  from  one  of  these  inexplicably  enigmatic  mixtures ; 
it  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  new  modification  of  disease,  fre- 
quently obscured  by  the  tumult  of  morbid  symptoms,  but  finally 
assuming  a  permanent  form  under  the  prolonged  use  of  the 
recipe.  The  result,  then,  is  an  additional  artificial  disease,  com- 
plicated with  the  original  one,  an  aggravation  of  the  original 
malady.  Or,  supposing  the  recipe  had  not  been  frequently  re- 
peated, but  to  have  been  exchanged  for  one  or  more  new  pre- 
scriptions  of  other  ingredients,  in  quick  succession,  a  greater 
sinking  of  strength  would,  at  least,  have  ensued ;  because  the 
prescribed  remedies  neither  had,  nor  were  intended  to  have,  any 
direct  pathological  relation  to  the  original  disease;  they  only 
uselessly  and  perniciously  attacked  the  parts  least  affected  by 
the  disease. 

To  witness  the  unreasonable  process  of  mixing  in  one  formula 
several  drugs,  even  if  the  effect  of  each  upon  the  human  body 
had  been  well  known  (the  writer  of  a  recipe  frequently  does  not 
know  even  the  thousandth  part  of  this  effect),  to  mix  a  variety 
of  such  ingredients,  several  of  which  are  themselves  of  a  mani- 
fold, composite  kind,  and  whose  individual  and  special  effect  is 
scarcely  known,  but  always  different  from  that  of  the  rest,  and 
then,  to  see  such  an  incomprehensible  mixture  administered  to 
the  patient  in  large  and  frequent  doses,  all  in  the  vain  hope 
of  establishing  a  certain  designed  curative  effect — such,  I  say, 
must  arouse  indignation  in  the  mind  of  every  thinking  and  un- 
biassed[30]  observer. 

The  result  is,  of  course,  contrary  to  any  definite  expectation. 
Although  changes  and  effects  do  occur,  they  are  badly  adapted 
to  the  purpose,  hurtful,  and  pernicious. 

Who  would  apply  the  name  of  cure  to  this  blundering  inter- 
ference with  a  diseased  human  body  ? 

A  cure  may  be  expected  only  through  the  aid  of  the  remnant 


42  INTRODUCTION. 

of  vitality  led  into  the  right  path  of  activity  by  an  appropriate 
remedy,  but  never  by  an  artificial,  debilitating  process,  pushed  to 
the  verge  of  endurance.  And  yet,  the  old  school  knows  no 
other  way  to  manage  inveterate  disorders,  than  to  belabor  the 
patient  with  all  sorts  of  tormenting,  debilitating,  and  even  fatal 
remedies.  Can  that  school  save  while  it  destroys?  Does  this 
practice  deserve  any  other  name  than  that  of  a  pernicious  art 
(Unheilkunst)  ?  It  acts,  lege  artis,  as  contrary  to  this  purpose 
as  possible,  and  performs  (it  almost  seems  as  if  by  design)  dttota, 
that  is,  the  opposite  of  what  it  should  perform.  Does  this  merit 
our  praise?  Shall  we  endure  this  longer? 

In  modern  times  old  physic  finally  has  overstepped  all  bounds 
in  its  cruelty  and  impropriety  of  action  towards  suffering  fellow- 
men,  as  every  impartial  observer  must  admit,  and  as  physicians 
of  that  school  itself  (such  as  Kriiger-Hansen),  prompted  by  con- 
science, were  obliged  to  acknowledge  to  the  world. 

It  was  high  time  that  the  allwise  Creator  and  Benefactor  of 
mankind  commanded  these  horrors  to  cease,  set  a  limit  to  these 
tortures,  and  called  into  existence  a  healing  art  which,  as  the 
opposite  of  the  former,  should  save  the  strength  of  the  patient 
as  much  as  possible,  and  restore  his  health  directly/  quickly, 
and  permanently,  by  means  of  mild  and  few  remedies  which 
should  have  been  previously  well  considered  and  thoroughly 
proved  according  to  their  effect,  and  administered  in  the  finest 
doses,  according  to  the  only  natural  law  of  cure:  similia  similibus 
curantur;  without  wasting  the  vital  force  and  substance  by 
emetics,  protracted  sweeping  out  of  the  bowels,  warm  baths, 
sudorifics  or  salivation  ;  without  shedding  the  heart's  blood,  and 
without  weakening  and  torturing  by  painful  revulsives  ;  without 
burdening  the  sufferer  to  the  verge  of  incurability  with  new 
chronic  drug  diseases,  by  assiduously  urging  the  use  of  wrong 
debilitating  medicines  of  qualities  unknown  to  the  prescriber ; 
without  the  abuse  of  violent  palliatives,  according  to  the  motto : 
contraria  contrariis,  thus  placing  the  horse  behind  the  cart,  after 
the  fashion  of  merciless  routine  that  leads  the  way  to  the  grave 
instead  of  recovery.  It  was  high  time  that  God  mercifully  per- 
mitted homoeopathy  to  be  discovered. 


A    REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  43 

Through  observation,  thought,  and  experience,  I  leained  that 
contrary  to  old  allopathy,  the  best  way  to  cure  is  to  be  found  by 
following  the  proposition :  In  order  to  cure  gently,  quickly,  un- 
failingly, and  permanently,  select  for  every  case  of  disease  a  medi- 
cine, capable  of  calling  forth  by  itself  an  affection  similar  (8fj.otov 
Kdftoq)  to  that  which  it  is  intended  to  cure  ! 

Hitherto  none  taught  this  homoeopathic  method  of  cure,  no 
one  put  it  in  practice.  But  if  the  truth  is  contained  alone  in 
this  process,  as  others  will  observe  like  myself,  then  we  must  ex- 
pect to  discover[31]  its  actual  traces  in  all  past  ages,  although 
it  was  not  acknowledged  for  thousands  of  years. 

And  such  is  actually  the  case.  In  all  ages  those  sufferers  who 
were,  really  cured  rapidly,  permanently,  and  visibly  through  medi- 
cines, were  cured  alone  (though  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
physician)  by  a  (homoeopathic)  remedy,  possessing  the  power  of 
producing  by  itself  a*  similar  morbid  condition,  provided  these 
patients  did  not,  perchance,  recover  through  the  agency  of  some 
other  beneficial  circumstance,  or  through  spontaneous  termination 
of  the  disease,  or  in  the  length  of  time  by  virtue  of  their  physi- 
cal power  of  endurance,  tried  under  allopathic,  antagonistic  treat- 
ment; for  a  direct  cure  differs  widely  from  recovery  gained  by  an 
indirect  course. 

Even  those  actual  cures  produced,  however  rarely,  by  a 
variety  of  compounded  drugs,  will  be  found  to  result  from  the 
predominant  remedy  which  was  of  homoeopathic  nature. 

A  still  more  striking  proof  may  be  seen  in  those  instances 
where  physicians  had,  contrary  to  custom  (hitherto  admitting 
only  medicinal  mixtures  in  the  form  of  recipes),  now  and  then 
effected  a  speedy  cure  by  means  of  a  simple  drug.  There  we  may 
see  with  astonishment  that  the  result  was  always  due  to  a  medi- 
cine capable  of  producing  by  itself  an  affection  similar  to  the  dis- 
ease in  which  it  was  used,  although  the  physicians  themselves 
did  not  know  what  they  did,  laboring  under  a  spell  of  forgetful- 
ness  of  the  opposite  doctrines  of  their  school.  They  prescribed 
a  remedy,  the  exact  opposite  of  which  they  should  have  used 
according  to  the  rules  of  their  customary  therapeutics;  but  in 
this  manner  only  were  the  patients  cured  quickly. [32] 


44  INTRODUCTION. 

Without  counting  those  cases  where  popular  empiricism  (not 
their  own  inventiveness)  had  furnished  physicians  with  specific 
remedies  for  diseases  of  unvarying  character,  enabling  them  to 
cure  in  a  direct  manner — for  instance,  venereal  chancre-disease 
with  quicksilver;  disease  resulting  from  contusions,  by  arnica; 
intermittent  fevers  of  marshy  districts,  by  Peruvian  bark;  recent 
cases  of  itch,  by  flowers  of  sulphur,  etc. — without  counting  these 
instances,  we  find  that  all  other  modes  of  treatment  used  by  old- 
school  physicians  in  chronic  diseases,  are,  without  exception, 
merely  pernicious  and  debilitating  tortures,  aggravating  the 
sufferings  of  the  patient.  Such  are  the  measures  practiced  with 
an  air  of  superiority,  and  at  a  ruinous  expense  to  the  patient. 

Sometimes  accidental  experience  would  lead  them  to  homoeo- 
pathic treatment,[33]  but  still  they  did  not  recognize  the  law  of 
nature,  according  to  which  such  cures  were  and  must  be  brought 
about. 

It  is,  therefore,  of  extreme  importance  for  the  welfare  of  man- 
kind, to  seek  out  the  causes  of  these  rare  and  highly  salutary  cures. 
The  disclosures  made  with  regard  to  them  are  of  the  highest 'sig- 
nificance. Such  cures  never  were  effected  by  other  means  than 
by  homoeopathic  remedies,  possessing  the  power  of  producing  a 
disease  similar  to  that  which  was  to  be  cured.  Such  curative  re- 
sults were  speedily  and  permanently  produced  by  medicines  that 
fell,  as  by  accident,  into  the  hands  of  medical  prescribers,  who 
used  them  in  violation  of  customary  systems  and  therapeutics 
(often  without  really  knowing  what  they  did,  and  why),  but  who 
unintentionally  established  the  actual  existence  of  a  natural  law 
of  cure,  that  is  of  homoeopathy,  which  had  hitherto  been  left  un- 
discovered in  the  past  ages  of  medicine,  blinded  by  prejudices, 
notwithstanding  numerous  facts  and  indications  pointing  in  that 
direction. 

Even  in  the  domestic  practice  of  non-professional  classes  of 
people,  gifted  with  sound  sense  and  the  faculty  of  observation, 
this  mode  of  healing  has  been  found  by  manifold  experience  to 
be  the  most  safe,  thorough,  and  reliable. 

Recently  frozen  limbs  are  coverecl  with  frozen  sauerkraut  or 
nibbed  with  suow.[34] 

An  experienced  cook  holds  his  scalded  hand  at  a  small  die- 


A   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  45 

tance  from  the  fire,  without  heeding  the  primary  aggravation  of 
the  pain,  taught  by  experience  that  in  a  short  time,  often  in  a 
few  minutes,  he  can  restore  the  appearance  of  healthy,  painless 
skin  to  the  burnt  spot.[35] 

Other  sensible  laymen,  such  as  japanners,  treat  a  burn  with  a 
remedy  capable  of  exciting  a  similar  burning  sensation,  e.  g.} 
strong  and  well-warmed  alcohol,[36]  or  oil  of  turpentine,[37] 
thereby  restoring  the  parts  to  health  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours ; 
well  aware  that  cooling  salves  would  not  accomplish  the  same 
object  in  as  many  months,  and  that  cold  water[38]  would  in- 
crease the  evil. 

The  old  and  experienced  reaper,  without  being  addicted  to  the 
use  of  brandy,  will  never  drink  cold  water  (contraria  contr arils) 
whenever  he  has  become  heated  in  the  sun  to  a  degree  approach- 
ing high  fever.  Knowing  the  danger  likely  to  follow  such  an  at- 
tempt, he  takes  a  small  quantity  of  some  heating  fluid,  a  mouth- 
ful of  brandy,  for  instance;  experience,  the  teacher  of  truth, 
having  convinced  him  of  the  advantage  and  efficacy  of  this 
homeopathic  measure  by  which  heat,  as  well  as  fatigue,  is  speedily 
removed.[39] 

Indeed  there  have  been  physicians  from  time  to  time,  who  had 
presentiments  that  medicines,  by  their  power  of  producing  anal- 
ogous morbid  symptoms,  would  cure  analogous  morbid  condi- 
tions.[40] 

The  author  of  one  of  the  books  ascribed  to  Hippocrates,  irep} 
rbxtov  riuv  xar  av»9/>w7ro^[41]  has  these  remarkable  words:  fa&  rd 
ofioia  vouaos  ywETai  xai  Std  TO.  oftotet  Trpoffpspo/jLsva.  ix  voffiuvrwv  ufiaivovrai^ 
dtd  TO  iitleiv  errero?  7raueTaj.[42] 

The  truth  of  homoeopathy  has  also  been  felt  and  expressed  by 
physicians  of  later  times.  Thus,  e.  g.,  Boulduc  recognizes  the 
fact  that  the  purging  quality  of  rhubarb  is  the  cause  of  its  power 
to  allay  diarrhea. 

Detharding  conjectures[43]  that  colic  in  adults  is  mitigated  by 
the  infusion  of  senna,  by  virtue  of  its  analogous  effect  of  pro- 
ducing colic  in  the  healthy. 

Bertholon[44]  confesses  that  electricity  deadens  and  annuls,  in 
disease,  pain  very  similar  in  kind  to  that  produced  by  electricity. 


46  INTRODUCTION. 

Thiury  testifies  that  positive  electricity,  though  in  itself  it  ac- 
celerates the  pulse,  nevertheless  retards  it  when  accelerated  by 
discase.[45] 

Von  Stoerck[46]  expresses  the  idea:  "If  the  thorn-apple  de- 
ranges the  mind,  and  produces  insanity  in  the  healthy,  might  it 
not,  by  changing  the  current  of  ideas,  restore  soundness  of  mind 
to  the  insane?" 

Stahl,  a  Danish  military  physician,  has  expressed  his  convic- 
tion on  this  subject  most  distinctly.  He  says :  "  The  rule  accepted 
in  medicine  to  cure  by  contraries  is  entirely  wrong  (contraria  con- 
trariis)',  he  is  convinced,  on  the  contrary,  that  diseases  vanish 
and  are  cured  by  means  of  medicines  capable  of  producing  a 
similar  affection  (similia  similibus)."  Thus  burns  are  cured  by 
approaching  the  fire ;  frozen  limbs  by  the  application  of  snow 
or  very  cold  water;  inflammation  and  contusions,  by  distilled 
spirits.  In  this  manner  he  is  in  the  habit  of  curing  habitual 
acidity  of  the  stomach  most  successfully  by  means  of  a  very  small 
dose  of  sulphuric  acid,  in  cases  where  quantities  of  absorbing 
powders  have  been  used  in  vain. 

So  near  had  the  great  truth  sometimes  been  approached !  But 
only  a  hasty  thought  was  here  and  there  bestowed  upon  it,  and 
hence  the  indispensable  reformation  of  the  ancient  way  of  treat- 
ing disease,  the  conversion  of  the  traditional  defective  manner 
of  treatment,  into  a  genuine,  true,  and  certain  art  of  healing, 
remain  unaccomplished  to  the  present  day. 


REMARKS 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES  TO  THE  REVIEW  OF  "PHYSIC," 

ETC. 


[1]  IT  would  have  been  much  more  in  accordance  with  sound  com- 
mon sense  and  the  nature  of  the  inquiry,  if,  for  the  purpose  of  treating 
a  disease,  they  had  sought  for  its  primary  cause  as  the  causa  morbi.  In 
that  case  the  method  of  cure  which  had  proved  efficacious  in  diseases 
produced  by  the  same  cause  could  have  been  successfully  applied  in  all 
those  of  like  origin,  as,  for  instance,  the  same  mercurial  which  is  effec- 
tual in  all  venereal  chancres  is  effectual  also  in  any  ulcer  occurring  on 
the  glans  penis  after  an  impure  connection.  Had  they  discovered  the 
primary  cause  of  all  other  chronic  (non-venereal)  diseases  to  be  a  re- 
mote or  recent  infection  by  the  itch-miasm  (psora),  and  found  for  all 
these  a  common  method  of  cure,  one  having  due  regard  for  the  thera- 
peutics of  every  individual  case,  according  to  which  each  and  all  of 
these  chronic  diseases  could  have  been  treated,  then  might  they  have 
boasted  justly  of  having  rightly  apprehended  and  assumed  as  the  basis 
of  cure  of  chronic  diseases,  the  only  true  and  fruitful  causa  morborum 
chronicorum  (non-venerorum),  and  that  they  could  treat  these  diseases 
with  the  best  success.  But,  ignorant  of  their  origin  from  itch-miasm 
(first  discovered  by  homoeopathy,  and  subsequently  provided  with  an 
effectual  method  of  cure)  they  have,  for  many  centuries,  failed  in  curing 
all  the  countless  chronic  diseases.  And  yet  they  have  boasted  of  aiming 
at  the  prima  causa,  and  of  following  the  only  rational  method  in  their 
treatment,  although  they  had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  the  only  availa- 
ble knowledge,  that  of  the  psoric  origin  of  chronic  diseases,  all  of  which 
they  bunglingly  aggravated. 

[2]  Every  physician  who  treats  according  to  such  generalities,  how- 
ever boldly  he  may  assume  the  name  of  a  hornoeopathist,  remains 
neither  more  nor  less  than  a  generalizing  allopathist,  since  homoeopathy 
is  absolutely  inconceivable  without  the  most  precise  individualization. 

[3]  Now  called  homoeopathic. 

[4]   "  Wherever  experience  had  taught  us  the  curative  power  of 

(  47  ) 


48  REMARKS   AND    EXPLANATORY   NOTES 

homoeopathic  medicines,  whose  mode  of  action  could  not  \>e  explained, 
they  were  straightway  declared  to  be  specifics  :  an  utterly  meaningless 
term,  by  which  all  further  inquiry  was  lulled  to  sleep.  But  the  homo- 
geneous or  specific  (homoeopathic)  stimulants  have  long  been  proscribed 
as  most  pernicious  agents."  Rau,  On  the  Homoeopathic  Method  of 
Cure.  Heidelberg,  1824,  pp.  101-2. 

[5]  Dr.  Rau  (Ueber  d.  Werth  d.  homceop.  Heilverfahrens.  Heidel- 
berg, 1824,  p.  176,  et  seq.),  though  not  fully  initiated  into  homoeopathy 
it  that  time,  was  so  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  dynamic  origin  of  even 
these  fevers,  that  he  treated  them  by  one  or  two  minute  doses  of  homoe. 
opathic  medicine  without  the  least  resort  to  evacuants.  He  relates 
two  remarkable  cases. 

[6]  In  case  of  a  sudden  derangement  of  the  stomach,  marked  by 
constant  and  offensive  eructations  tasting  of  tainted  food,  and  usu- 
ally accompanied  by  depression  of  spirits,  cold  hands  and  feet,  the 
efforts  of  the  ordinary  practitioner  have  been  directed  altogether 
against  the  vitiated  contents  of  the  stomach,  using  active  emetics  to 
effect  their  complete  expulsion.  This  end  has  been  usually  gained  by 
tartar  emetic  with  or  without  ipecac.  But  will  the  patient  be  found 
well  and  cheerful  immediately  afterwards  ?  By  no  means.  Commonly 
such  gastric  disturbances  are  of  dynamic  origin,  and  are  called  forth  by 
disturbing  emotions  (grief,  fright,  vexation)  immediately  after  even 
a  moderate  meal.  These  two  drugs  are  neither  suited  to  the  purpose 
of  subduing  this  dynamic  derangement,  nor  the  revulsive  emesis  to 
which  it  gives  rise.  But,  by  producing  their  peculiar  morbific  symp- 
toms, they  will  have  aggravated  the  patient's  condition,  and  the  secre- 
tion of  bile  will  have  been  deranged,  so  that  he  will  find  himself  suffer- 
ing for  several  days  from  the  effects  of  this  pretended  causal  cure,  not- 
withstanding the  violent  and  complete  emptying  of  the  contents  of  the 
stomach.  But,  if  in  place  of  using  such  powerful  and  injurious  evacu- 
ants, the  patient  will  apply  but  once,  by  olfaction,  the  highly  diluted 
juice  of  pulsatilla  (smelling  of  a  globule  no  larger  than  a  mustard-seed, 
moistened  with  the  same),  it  will  relieve  the  derangement  of  his  condi- 
tion in  general,  and  that  of  his  stomach  in  particular,  and  restore  him 
in  two  hours.  Should  eructations  still  occur  subsequently  they  will  be 
only  of  tasteless  and  odorless  gas  ;  the  contents  of  the  stomach  will  no 
longer  be  vitiated,  his  usual  appetite  will  make  its  appearance  with 
the  return  of  the  next  meal,  and  he  is  well  and  cheerful.  This  is  a 
real  causal  cure ;  the  other  imaginary  one  is  only  a  pernicious  strain 
upon  the  patient's  constitution. 

The  stomach,  even  if  surcharged  with  indigestible  food,  scarcely  ever 
requires  a  medicinal  emetic.  Nature  possesses  the  best  means  of  throw- 
ing off  any  superfluities  by  means  of  nausea,  loathing,  and  even  vomit- 


TO   THE    REVIEW    OF   PHYSIC.  49 

ing,  perhaps  with  the  assistance  of  mechanical  measures,  such  as  tick- 
ling the  palate  and  fauces,  thereby  avoiding  all  the  incidental  effects 
of  medicinal  emetics ;  any  remaining  particles  in  the  stomach  will  be 
assisted  in  passing  downwards  by  a  little  decoction  of  coffee. 

Supposing,  however,  that  after  overloading  the  stomach,  its  powei 
of  reaction  were  insufficient  to  produce  vomiting,  while,  at  the  same 
time,  the  inclination  to  vomit  had  become  extinct  in  consequence  of  ex- 
cessive pain  in  the  epigastrium,  such  an  emetic  would  be  followed  by  a 
dangerous  or  even  fatal  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  if  administered 
during  this  paralyzed  condition  of  the.  stomach.  While  a  small  quan- 
tity of  strong  coffee,  frequently  repeated,  would  have  been  sufficient  to 
elevate  dynamically  the  depressed  susceptibility  of  the  stomach,  and 
to  have  enabled  it  to  discharge  without  other  aid,  its  superabundant 
contents  by  the  mouth  or  rectum.  Here  the  so-called  causal  cure  is 
out  of  place. 

In  chronic  diseases  when  accompanied  by  regurgitation  of  acrid  gas- 
tric juice,  the  latter  is  forcibly  and  painfully  removed  by  emetics,  only 
to  be  replaced  the  next  or  the  following  days  by  gastric  juice  quite  as 
acrid  and  even  more  abundant  than  the  former.-  This  would  subside 
of  its  own  accord,  provided  its  dynamic  cause  were  curatively  annulled 
by  a  small  dose  of  highly  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  or,  if  the  acidity  were 
of  frequent  occurrence,  by  the  use  of  some  other  antipsoric  remedy, 
corresponding  to  the  rest  of  the  symptoms.  Of  such  pretended  causal 
cures  there  are  many  in  the  old  school,  whose  favorite  occupation  it  is 
to  clear  out  the  material  product  of  dynamic  derangements  by  means 
of  cumbersome  and  deleterious  measures,  without  recognizing  the  dy- 
namic source  of  the  disorder,  and  without  curing  it  rationally  and 
homceopathically  together  with  its  products. 

[7]  Conditions  which  are  dependent  entirely  upon  psora,  and  easily. 
cured  by  (dynamic)  mild  antipsoric  remedies,  without  purging  or  vom- 
iting. 

[8]  Notwithstanding  that  all  haemorrhages  depend  upon  a  dynamic 
alteration  of  vital  force  of  health,  the  old  school  takes  superabun- 
dance of  blood  to  be  their  cause,  and  cannot  refrain  from  venesec- 
tions for  the  sake  of  getting  rid  of  this  supposed  redundancy  of  vital 
juices.  Afterwards  the  very  evident  and  evil  results,  the  depression 
of  strength  as  well  as  the  tendency  or  the  actual  transition  into  a 
typhoid  state,  is  saddled  upon  the  virulence  of  the  disease,  which  that 
school  too  often  finds  itself  unable  to  cope  with.  In  fact,  it  persuades 
itself  that  it  had  performed  a  cure,  according  to  the  motto  "causam 
(oZZe,"  even  if  the  patient  does  not'recover,  and  in  its  way  of  speaking, 
all  that  was  possible  had  been  done  for  the  patient  whatever  the  result 

might  be. 

4 


50  REMARKS   AND   EXPLANATORY   NOTES 

[9]  Regardless  of  the  probability  that  the  human  body  has  uevei 
contained  one  drop  of  blood  too  much,  the  old  school  regards  a  so-called 
plethoric  condition  as  the  material  and  chief  cause  of  all  haemor- 
rhages and  inflammations,  to  be  counteracted  and  removed  by  ven- 
esections and  leeches.  That  is  called  rational  treatment  and  causal 
cure.  In  general  inflammatory  fevers,  and  in  acute  pleurisy,  physi- 
cians of  the  old  school  go  so  far  as  to  call  the  coagulable  lymph  of  the 
blood,  the  so-called  bufty  coat,  the  materia  peccans,  which  they  try  to 
expel  by  repeated  bloodlettings,  notwithstanding  its  frequent  reap- 
pearance with  increased  tenacity  and  firmness  under  renewed  abstrac- 
tion of  blood.  Thus  blood  is  often  shed  until  death  is  close  at  hand,  if 
the  inflammatory  fever  will  not  subside,  in  order  to  remove  this  buffy 
coat  or  supposed  plethora.  It  never  occurs  to  them  that  the  inflamed 
blood  is  only  the  product  of  acute  fever;  ?'.  e.,  of  the  morbid,  immate- 
rial (dynamic)  irritation,  and  that  the  latter  is  the  sole  cause  of  this 
great  tumult  in  the  arterial  system,  so  easily  subdued  by  the  smallest 
dose  of  a  homogeneous  (homoeopathic)  remedy,  for  instance,  by  one 
small  globule  moistened  with  the  decillionth  dilution  of  aconite,  at 
the  same  time  avoiding  vegetable  acids,  so  that  the  most  violent  pleuritic 
fever,  with  all  its  threatening  complications,  is  converted  into  health, 
and  cured  in  twenty-four  hours  at  most,  without  bloodletting  or  any  cool- 
ing medicines.  (A  specimen  of  the  patient's  blood,  taken  from  a  vein, 
will  no  longer  show  a  trace  of  buffiness.)  While  a  patient  afflicted 
with  the  same  disease  treated  according  to  the  "rational  methods  "  of 
the  old  school,  if,  indeed,  he  escapes  death  for  the  present,  after  re- 
peated bloodletting  and  unspeakable  misery,  will  have  to  linger  for 
many  a  sickly  month,  before  his  emaciated  frame  gains  strength 
enough  to  stand  erect,  having  narrowly  escaped  death  from  typhoid 
fever,  leucophlegmasia,  or  suppurative  disease  of  the  lungs,  the  fre- 
quent consequence  of  such  maltreatment. 

He  who  has  ever  felt  the  pulse  of  a  man  an  hour  before  the  onset 
of  the  chills  which  always  precede  an  attack  of  acute  pleurisy,  will  be 
surprised  when,  two  hours  later,  after  the  onset  of  the  hot  stage,  he  is 
to  be  persuaded  of  the  necessity  of  resisting  the  present  enormous 
plethora  by  frequent  bloodletting,  and  he  wonders  by  what  miracle  so 
many  pounds  of  blood,  now  to  be  poured  out,  may  have  entered  the 
patient's  blood  vessels,  felt  quietly  pulsating  only  two  hours  ago.  Not 
one  drachm  more  of  blood  can  now  roll  through  those  vessels  than 
they  contained  in  times  of  health,  or  two  hours  earlier. 

An  allopathist,  therefore,  does  not  rid  the  fever-patient  of  a  noxious 
superabundance  of  blood  (which  can  never  have  existed),  but  robs 
him  of  his  normal  quantity  of  blood,  necessary  to  life  and  recovery, 
and  hence  of  strength — an  enormous,  loss  never  to  be  repaired  by  medi- 
cal aid.  In  the  face  of  all  this,  these  practitioners  persist  in  the  delusion 
of  having  acted  in  harmony  with  this  (ill-conceived)  motto,  causam 


TO   THE    REVIEW   OF    PHYSIC.  51 

l.olle,  while  in  this  case  the  cause  of  disease  could  never  have  c  nsisted 
in  a  superabundance  of  blood,  a  thing  without  existence  ;  here  on  the 
contrary,  the  only  true  cause  of  disease  was  a  morbid,  dynamic  inflam- 
matory irritation  of  the  vascular  system,  as  has  been  and  will  be  proved 
in  every  case  of  the  kind,  by  the  rapid  and  permanent  cure  effected  as 
above  related,  by  one  or  two  incredibly  fine  and  minute  doses  of 
aconite,  possessing  the  power  of  homoeopathically  allaying  such  an  irri- 
tation. 

In  a  similar  manner  the  old  school  misses  its  mark  in  its  treatment 
of  local  inflammations  by  local  depletion,  particularly  by  the  applica- 
tion of  countless  leeches,  after  the  rash  manner  now  inaugurated  by 
Broussais.  The  palliative  relief,  primarily  observed,  is  by  no  means 
crowned  by  a  rapid  and  complete  cure,  because  the  ever  remaining 
weakness  and  frailty  of  the  part  (often  also  the  entire  body)  so  treated, 
bears  sufficient  evidence  that  local  inflammation  was  erroneously  at- 
tributed to  local  plethora,  and  that  the  results  of  such  local  depletion 
are  deplorable  ;  for  this  virtually  dynamic  but  apparently  local  inflam- 
matory agency  can  be  cancelled  and  cured  by  an  equally  fine  dose  of 
aconite,  or  the  entire  disorder  may,  if  circumstances  point  that  way, 
be  permanently  relieved  by  belladonna,  without  this  wanton  shedding 
of  blood. 

[10]  Life  was  endangered  when  some  pure  water  was  injected  into  a 
vein  (see  Mullen,  in  Birch,  History  of  Royal  Society,  vol.  iv). 

Atmospheric  air  injected  into  the  bloodvessels  proved  fatal  (see  J. 
H.  Voigt,  Magazine  far  den  neuesten  Zustand  der  Naturkunde,  I,  III, 
p.  25). 

[11]  A  girl,  eight  years  of  age,  in  Glasgow,  bitten  by  a  rabid  dog, 
had  the  wound  immediately  and  thoroughly  excised  by  the  surgeon,  but 
nevertheless  had  hydrophobia  thirty-six  days  afterwards,  and  died  in 
two  days.  (Med.  Comment,  on  Edinb.,  Dec.  ii,  vol.  ii,  1793.) 

[12]  In  order  to  explain  the  origin  of  the  large  quantity  of  pu- 
trid matter  and  offensive  ichor  of  sores,  often  observed  in  diseases, 
and  in  order  to  declare  these  appearances  to  be  the  exciting  and 
maintaining  matters  of  disease  (notwithstanding  the  invisibility  of 
miasms,  or  the  impossible  penetration  of  material  substance  into  the 
body  during  infection),  it  was  hypothetically  asserted  that  the  conta- 
gious matter,  even  if  extremely  fine,  acted  in  the  body  like  a  ferment ; 
that  it  vitiated  the  juices,  changing  them  into  a  morbid  ferment  of  its 
own  kind,  and  maintaining  the  disease  by  virtue  of  its  rank  growth 
during  the  morbid  process.  What  potent  and  ingeniously  conc-octed 
purifying  draughts  could  effect  the  elimination  and  separation  from  the 
human  body  of  this  inconstant  process  of  reproduction,  this  mass  of 


52  REMARKS   AND   EXPLANATORY   NOTES 

so-called  morbific  matter,  without  leaving  a  vestige  behind  that  might 
not,  according  to  that  hypothesis,  again  and  again  deteriorate  and 
transform  the  juices  into  new  morbific  matters  ?  In  that  case  it  were 
impossible  to  cure  these  diseases  according  to  your  method.  It  becomes 
evident  that  every  hypothesis,  no  matter  how  skilfully  worded,  will 
lead  to  the  most  palpable  inconsistencies,  when  it  is  not  founded  on 
truth.  Syphilis  of  the  most  inveterate  kind,  if  liberated  from  its  fre- 
quent complication  with  psora,  will  be  cured  by  means  of  one  or  two 
very  minute  doses  of  the  decillionth  dilution  and  potency  of  dissolved 
metallic  quicksilver,  after  which  the  general  syphilitic  deterioration  of 
the  juices  will  be  found  to  have  been  forever  (dynamically)  annihilated 
and  dispelled. 

[13]  In  that  case  every  cold  in  the  head,  even  the  most  protracted, 
must  be  invariably  and  speedily  cured  by  careful  blowing  and  cleans- 
ing of  the  nose. 

[14]  The  expulsion  of  worms  in  so-called  worm  diseases  has  an  ap- 
pearance of  necessity.  But  this  appearance  also  is  deceptive.  Some 
lumbrical  worms  are  perhaps  to  be  found  in  many  children,  while 
the  threadworm  may  be  said  to  infest  many  others.  But  all  of 
these,  as  well  as  a  superabundance  of  one  kind  or  another,  invariably 
result  from  a  general  state  of  unhealthiness  (psoric),  combined  with  an 
improper  mode  of  living.  By  improving  the  latter,  and  curing  the 
psoric  disease  homo30pathically,  which  is  most  easily  accomplished 
during  the  period  of  childhood,  no  more  worms  will  remain,  and  chil- 
dren cured  in  this  manner  will  no  longer  be  tormented  by  them,  while 
they  are  rapidly  reproduced  in  great  numbers  after  the  use  of  mere 
purgatives,  even  if  these  are  compounded  with  wormseed  (semen 
cinse). 

"But  what  of  the  tapeworm  ?"  I  hear  them  say;  "must  not  this 
monstrous  plague  of  mankind  be  expelled  with  all  available  force  ?" 

Indeed,  it  is  sometimes  driven  out,  but  not  without  much  subsequent 
pain  and  danger  to  life.  I  would  not  burden  my  conscience  with  the 
death  of  so  many  hundreds  of  fellow-men,  whose  lives  have  been  sacri- 
ficed by  the  use  of  the  most  debilitating,  dreadful  purgatives  intended 
for  the  tapeworm  ;  neither  would  I  be  guilty  of  the  protracted  illness  of 
those  who  escaped  death  by  purgation.  Though  continued  for  years 
how  seldom  this  purgative  treatment,  so  destructive  to  health  and  life, 
attains  its  object,  or  if  it  succeed,  does  not  the  tapeworm  as  frequently 
reproduce  itself  ? 

What,  if  this  forcible  and  often  cruel  and  fatal  method  of  expelling 
or  killing  these  .parasites  were  unnecessary  ? 

The  various  species  of  tapeworm  are  only  found  in  cases  of  psoric 
disease,  and  always  disappear  when  that  is  cured.  But  before  such 


TO   THE   KEVTEYV   OF   PHYSIC.  53 

euro  can  be  accomplished,  and  during  a  period  of  comparative  health, 
they  do  not  inhabit  the  intestines  proper,  but  rather  the  remnants  cf 
food  and  fecal  matter  contained  therein,  living  quietly  as  in  a  world  of 
their  own,  without  causing  the  least  inconvenience,  finding  their  sus- 
tenance in  the  contents  of  the  bowels.  During  this  state  they  do  not 
come  in  contact  with  the  intestinal  walls  and  remain  harmless.  But 
when  from  any  cause  a  person  is  attacked  by  an  acute  disease,  the  con- 
tents of  the  bowels  become  offensive  to  the  parasite,  which,  in  its  writh- 
ing and  distress,  touches  and  irritates  the  sensitive  intestinal  lining, 
thus  increasing  the  complaints  of  the  patient  considerably  by  a  par- 
ticular kind  of  cramplike  colic.  (In  a  similar  manner  the  foetus  in  the 
womb  becomes  restless,  twists  its  body,  and  moves  whenever  the  mother 
is  sick,  but  floats  quietly  in  the  liquor  amnii,  without  distressing  the 
mother,  while  she  is  well. ) 

It  should  be  remarked,  that  the  symptoms  of  a  patient  suffering 
from  the  above  symptoms,  are  mostly  of  a  kind  that  may  be  speedily 
(homoeopathically)  quieted  by  the  most  minute  dose  of  the  tincture  of 
the  root  of  the  male  fern,  since  the  morbid  condition  of  the  patient, 
causing  the  disquietude  of  the  parasite,  is  temporarily  arrested  by  the 
remedy ;  the  tapeworm  is  then  quieted,  and  continues  to  live  in  the  in- 
testinal contents,  without  seriously  disturbing  the  patient  or  his  intes- 
tines, until  the  antipsoric  cure  has  reached  a  stage,  at  which  the  psora 
has  been  so  far  extinguished  that  the  fecal  contents  of  the  bowels  cease 
to  meet  the  wants  of  the  worm,  which  now  spontaneously  departs  from 
the  convalescent  patient  forever,  and  without  the  least  resort  to  pur- 
gatives. 

[15]  Instead  of  directly  extinguishing  the  evil,  quickly  and  without 
loss  of  strength  and  digression,  by  aiming  homogeneous  dynamic  me- 
dicinal potencies  at  the  diseased  points  of  the  organism,  according  to 
the  usage  of  homoeopathy. 

[16]  As  if  anything  non-material  could  be  eliminated  by  derivatives, 
directed  against  a  material  morbific  substance,  however  subtile  it  is 
thought  to  be. 

[17]  Only  moderately  acute  diseases  are  in  the  habit,  so  to  say,  of 
becoming  neutralized  (indifferenziren),  and  to  terminate  quietly  with 
and  without  the  application  of  the  milder  allopathic  remedies.  The 
vital  power  having  rallied  its  strength,  once  more  begins  its  normal 
sway  where  health  has  been  disturbed  by  the  storm  of  disease.  But 
in  the  highly  acute  and  in  by  far  the  most  numerous  affections  of  man, 
the  chronic  diseases,  untutored  nature,  and  the  old  school  will  be  un- 
successful. There  neither  the  vital  force  with  its  healing  power,  nor 
allopathy  will  effect  a  resolution  ;  a  truce  perhaps  may  be  the  result, 


54  REMARKS   AND   EXPLANATORY    XOTES 

giving  the  enemy  time  to  rally  his  forces,  and  (sooner  or  later  to  renew 
the  assault  with  increased  vigor. 

[18]  An  expression  betraying  the  presupposition  and  intention  of 
expelling  and  dissolving  some  morbific  substance. 

[19]  In  ordinary  practice  it  was  customary  to  regard  the  cure  of 
diseases  by  the  spontaneous  efforts  of  the  nature  of  the  organism, 
where  no  medicine  was  used,  as  model  cures,  worthy  of  imitation.  But 
it  was  a  great  error.  The  lamentable  and  very  imperfect  attempts 
of  vitality  at  self-redress  in  acute  diseases,  presents  a  spectacle  calling 
for  the  exercise  of  compassion  as  well  as  of  all  the  powers  of  our  in- 
telligent mind,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  this  self-torture  by  an  actual, 
real  cure.  When  a  disease  already  present  in  the  organism  cannot  be 
cured  homoeopathic-ally  by  the  power  of  nature  applying  another  new, 
similar  disease  (3  43-46),  an  opportunity  rarely  afforded  ($  50),  and 
when  the  organism  is  left  to  its  resources  to  conquer  disease  by  its  own 
strength  and  without1  external  aid,  its  resistance  being  impotent  in 
chronic  miasms,  we  observe  that  these  painful  and  often  dangerous 
efforts  of  nature,  instituted  for  the  sake  of  relief  at  any  price,  fre- 
quently terminate  by  death  this  earthly  existence. 

As  little  as  we  mortals  understand  the  economy  of  healthy  life,  and 
as  surely  as  it  must  ever  remain  hidden  from  us,  though  plain  to  the 
all-seeing  eye  of  the  Creator  and  sustainer  of  his  creatures,  so  impos- 
sible it  will  ever  ue  for  us  to  understand  the  internal  processes  of  dis- 
turbed life  in  diseases.  The  internal  process  of  diseases  is  only  mani- 
fested by  those  observable  changes,  complaints,  and  symptoms,  through 
which  alone  life  expresses  its  inner  disturbances  ;  so  that  in  every  given 
case  we  must  remain  unable  to  determine  which  of  the  morbid  symp- 
toms are  primary  effects  of  the  morbific  agency  (Schiidlichkeit),  or 
which  are  to  be  considered  as  the  reaction  of  vital  force  in  its  sponta- 
neous curative  efforts.  Both  are  seen  to  coalesce,  and  merely  represent 
an  outwardly  reflected  image  of  the  totality  of  the  inward  disease, 
since  the  fruitless  efforts  of  life,  left  to  its  own  resources  in  terminating 
the  disease,  are  themselves  the  disease  of  the  entire  organism.  Conse- 
quently, more  suffering  than  beneficent  relief,  often  follows  those  evacu- 
ations called  crises,  commonly  occurring  toward  the  end  of  acute  dis- 
eases. Whatever  the  vital  force  produces  in  these  crises,  and  how  it  is 
produced,  will  remain  obscure,  like  all  other  inner  processes  of  the  or- 
ganic economy  of  life.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  in  all  its  exertions, 
the  vital  force  sacrifices  and  destroys  a  greater  or  less  proportion  of  the 
affected  parts,  in  order  to  save  the  reft.  This  power  of  self-limitation 
possessed  by  the  vital  force,  proceeding  in  accordance  with  the  organic 
arrangement  of  the  body,  and  not  with  deliberation  of  reason  in  over- 
coming an  acute  disease,  is  mostly  a  kind  of  allopathy.  In  order  to 


TO   THE    REVIEW   OF    PHYSIC.  55 

••elieve  the  primarily  affected  parts  by  a  crisis,  it  frequentlj  creates  an 
increased  and  even  tempestuous  activity  in  the  organs  of  secretion,  for 
the  purpose  of  transferring  the  disease  from  the  former  to  the  latter ; 
the  sequel  is  seen  in  the  appearance  of  emesis,  diarrhoea,  flow  of  urine, 
perspiration,  abscesses,  etc.,  by  which  excitation  of  remote  structures 
it  is  intended  to  establish  a  kind  of  derivation  from  originally  morbid 
parts,  because,  under  such  circumstances,  the  nervous  force  dynamically 
excited,  apparently  strives  to  relieve  its  tension  by  the  formation  of 
material  products. 

It  is  only  by  the  destruction  and  sacrifice  of  the  system,  that  nature 
unassisted  is  enabled  to  rally  from  acute  diseases,  or  slowly  and  imper- 
fectly to  re-establish  health  and  harmony  of  life  if  death  does  not  fore- 
stall her  efforts. 

After  spontaneous  recoveries,  all  this  is  pointed  out  by  the  great 
weakness  and  emaciation  of  the  entire  body,  or  of  the  parts  having  been 
affected  by  disease. 

In  a  word,  the  whole  process  set  up  by  the  organism,  in  its  self-limi- 
tation of  diseases,  exhibits  to  the  observer  nothing  but  suffering,  and 
nothing  that  he  could  or  should  imitate  if  he  truly  exercises  the  art  of 
healing. 

[20]  Daily  experience  shows  the  deplorable  result  obtained  by  this 
manoeuvre  in  chronic  diseases.  A  cure  is  most  rarely  the  result.  But 
who  would  call  it  a  victory,  when  instead  of  attacking  the  enemy  face 
to  face,  weapon  to  weapon,  in  order  to  destroy  him  and  end  with  one 
blow  his  hostile  incursions,  he  finds  his  cities  sacked,  his  supplies  cut 
off,  his  sustenance  consumed,  and  everything  devastated  by  fife  and 
sword  around  him ;  by  such  measures  the  enemy  may  be  obliged  to 
give  up  in  despair,  but  the  object  is  not  gained,  the  enemy  is  not 
crushed  ;  he  is  still  in  the  field,  and  when  he  has  again  obtained  forage 
and  supplies,  he  will  lift  his  head  with  fiercer  threats  of  vengeance  ; 
the  enemy,  I  say,  is  by  no  means  crushed,  but  the  poor  innocent 
country  is  so  far  ruined,  that  even  time  will  scarcely  restore  its  former 
condition.  Such  is  allopathy  in  chronic  diseases  when  it  destroys  the 
organism,  without  curing  the  disease,  by  its  indirect  attacks  upon  in- 
nocent parts,  remote  from  the  seat  of  disease.  Such  are  its  non-benefi- 
cent artifices  ! 

[21]  "What  good  result  was  obtained  by  the  frequent  use  of  those 
artificial  and  offensive  ulcers  called  fontanels  ?  During  the  first  few 
weeks,  they  really  may  have  seemed  slightly  to  check  a  chronic  dis- 
order by  means  of  their  antagonism,  and  as  long  as  they  continued  to 
be  painful,  but  as  soon  as  the  body  had  learned  to  bear  them,  they  have 
never  failed  to  weaken  the  patient,  thereby  increasing  the  range  of  the 
active  chronic  evil.  It  seems  incredible  that  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 


56  REMARKS   AND   EXPLANATORY   NOTES 

tury  it  is  thought  possible  that  an  opening  could  be  made  by  such 
means  for  the  escape  of  the  materia  peccans. 

[22]  Neither  was  a  cure  ever  achieved  by  artificial  evacuations 

[23]  Such  were  the  natural  consequences  of  suppressing  those  local 
symptoms,  consequences  often  represented  by  the  allopathic  phyt  ician 
as  new  and  different  diseases. 

[24]  Quite  contrary  to  this  method,  the  old  school  frequently  ven- 
tures upon  a  directly  opposite  course,  thus,  by  its  repercussions  and 
repellants,  it  would  suppress  at  pleasure  the  eiforts  of  vitality  to  relieve 
an  inner  disease,  or  troublesome  local  symptoms  appearing  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  body,  by  evacuants ;  it  did  not  hesitate  to  treat  chronic 
pains,  sleeplessness,  and  inveterate  diarrhcea  with  the  most  reckless 
doses  of  opium ;  or  to  suppress  vomiting  with  effervescent  saline  mix- 
tures, offensive  perspiration  of  the  feet  by  cold  foot-baths,  or  prepara- 
tions of  lead  or  zinc  ;  to  counteract  uterine  hemorrhage  by  injections 
of  vinegar ;  colliquative  sweats  by  alum  whey  ;  nocturnal  seminal 
emissions  by  excessive  use  of  camphor ;  frequent  flushes  of  heat  over 
the  face  or  body  by  saltpetre,  vegetable  or  sulphuric  acid  ;  to  arrest 
nosebleed  by  closing  the  nares  with  plugs  saturated  with  alcohol  or 
astringent  fluids,  and  to  dry  up  with  oxide  of  lead  or  zinc  ichorous 
ulcers  of  the  extremities,  called  forth  by  vital  reaction  to  mitigate  grave 
internal  disease,  etc.  ;  but  manifold  experiences  prove  the  lamentable 
consequences  of  such  treatment. 

By  word  and  pen  the  old  school  practitioner  boasts  of  being  a  ra- 
tional physician,  seeking  for  the  cause  of  disease  in  order. always  to 
perform  radical  cures ;  but  it  is  plain  that  his  treatment  is  directed 
against  a  single  symptom,  always  to  the  injury  of  the  patient. 

[25]  A  process  termed  enantiopathic  with  much  propriety,  to  which 
allusion  will  be  made  in  the  text  of  the  Organon  (I  59). 

[26]  Deafness  was  relieved  only  for  a  few  hours  by  moderate  shocks 
of  tte  voltaic  battery  in  the  hands  of  the  apothecary  in  fevers,  but 
these  soon  ceased  to  be  effective.  In  order  to  obtain  other  results,  he 
was  obliged  to  increase  the  power  of  the  shocks  until  these  too  were 
unavailing.  The  strongest  shocks  at  first  improved  the  patient's  hear- 
ing for  a  short  time,  but  finally  resulted  in  complete  deafness 

[27]  Notwithstanding  all  this,  Hufeland,  the  representative  of  the 
old  school,  exultingly  praises  these  effects  of  digitalis  (v.  Homceofathie, 


TO  THE   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC.  57 

p.  22),  in  the  following  words,  "No  one  can  deny  that  violent  excite- 
ment of  circulation  may  be  reduced  by  means  of  digitalis."  An  asser- 
tion entirely  unsupported  by  experience. 

[28]  Supported  in  vain  by  Hufeland,  in  his  pamphlet  (Die  Homoeo- 
pathic, p.  20),  for  the  sake  of  his  inefficient  practice  (Unkunst). 

Since  allopathy,  during  twenty-five  hundred  years  of  its  existence, 
remained  ignorant  of  the  source  of  most  chronic  diseases  (psora),  before 
the  appearance  of  my  book  ( The  Chronic  Diseases),  it  became  necessary 
to  invent  a  false  explanation  of  the  origin  (genesis)  of  chronic  disorders. 

[29]  Quellen  der  Bisherigen  Materia  Medica.  Sources  of  the  old  Ma- 
teria  Medica  preceding  the  third  part  of  the  "  Pure  Materia  Medica." 

[30]  The  absurdity  of  these  drug  mixtures  has  been  recognized  even 
by  men  of  the  prevailing  school,  although  they  followed  this  change- 
less routine  in  their  own  practice,  and  contrary  to  their  own  con- 
viction. Thus  Marcus  Herz  (in  Hufeland's  Journ.  der  Procf.,  Arzt. 
ii,  p.  33),  expresses  his  conscientious  scruples  in  the  following  words : 
'  When  we  wish  to  relieve  an  inflammation,  we  do  not  use  saltpetre, 
ammonia,  or  vegetable  acids  alone,  but  we  often  mix  several,  and  fre- 
quently too  many  so-called  antiphlogistic  remedies  together,  or  allow 
them  to  be  used  in  rapid  succession.  When  it  becomes  necessary  to 
counteract  putrefaction,  we  are  not  satisfied  with  the  use  of  one  well- 
known  antiseptic,  such  as  cinchona  bark,  mineral  acids,  arnica,  or 
snake-root  administered  in  large  quantity,  and  to  await  the  result ;  but 
we  prefer  to  compound  several  of  these  drugs,  and  to  count  upon  their 
united  action  ;  or  from  ignorance  of  the  efficacy  of  any  single  drug  in 
a  given  case,  we  huddle  a  variety  of  things  together,  and  trust  that  by 
chance  one  of  them  may  have  the  desired  effect.  Thus  one  remedy  seldom 
is  used  to  promote  perspiration,  to  improve  the  blood  (?),  to  liquefy  ac- 
cumulations (?),  to  produce  expectoration  or  evacuation  of  the  intes- 
anes ;  for  such  purposes  our  prescriptions  are  always  complicated, 
never  simple  and  pure,  and  consequently  we  arrive  at  no  definite  or  pre- 
cise experiences  regarding  the  effects  of  the  individual  ingredients  of  these 
prescriptions.  We  have,  nevertheless,  arranged  our  remedies  methodi- 
cally according  to  their  rank,  and  call  that  drug  to  which  we  ascribe 
the  main  action  basis;  we  designate  the  rest  as  adjuvants,  corrigents, 
etc.  This  classification  is  obviously  an  arbitrary  one.  Adjuvants  take 
part  in  the  total  effect  as  well  as  the  principal  ingredient,  although  we 
have  no  means  of  determining  the  degree  of  their  action  ;  nor  is  the 
influence  exercised  by  the  corrigens  upon  the  other  drugs,  a  matter  of 
indifference,  since  it  must  increase  or  decrease  their  action  or  give  it 
another  direction.  We  are  therefore  always  bound  to  regard  a  cura- 


58          REMARKS  AND  EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

tive  (?)  effect  wrought  by  snih  a  formula  as  the  collective  result  of  all 
its  ingredients  ;  nor  can  we  >btain  a  clear  idea  of  the  separate  action  of 
each  individual  ingredient.  In  fact,  our  insight  into  that  condition  which 
determines  an  essential  knowledge  of  all  our  remedies,  as  well  as  our 
knowledge  of  the  manifold -relationships  into  which  they  enter  when  mixed 
together,  is  far  too  imperfict  to  allow  us  to  determine  the  magnitude  and 
variety  of  the  effects  of  a  drug,  however  insignificant  it  may  appear  if  in- 
troduced into  the  human  body  combined  with  other  substances. 

[31]  For  truth  is  of  the  same  eternal  origin  as  the  omniscient  and 
beneficent  Divinity.  Men  may  leave  it  long  unheeded  until  its  rays  of 
light  penetrate  with  irresistible  force  the  mist  of  prejudices,  like  the 
dawn  of  approaching  day,  that  shall  shine  brightly  and  forever  for  the 
welfare  of  mankind. 

[32]  Examples  of  this  kind  may  be  found  in  the  preceding  editions 
of  the  Organon  of  the  Healing  Art. 

[33]  It  was  the  usual  practice  to  attempt  to  promote  arrested  cuta- 
neous excretions,  by  prescribing  an  infusion  of  elder  flowers,  to  be 
drank  during  the  chills  of  a  fever  occasioned  by  exposure.  This  in- 
fusion by  virtue  of  its  similarity  of  action  (homoeopathic),  may  cure 
the  fever,  and  restore  the  patient  quickly,  and  much  more  successfully 
without  perspiration  if  taken  by  itself.  Hard  and  acute  swellings,  the 
excessive  and  painful  inflammation  of  which  prevents  transition  into 
suppuration,  were  usually  covered  by  repeated  hot  poultices,  and  be- 
hold, inflammation  and  pain  were  speedily  diminished  by  the  forma- 
tion of  the  abscess,  indicated  by  a  yellowish  shining  prominence  and 
fluctuation.  The  hardness  was  then  supposed  to  have  been  softened 
by  the  moisture  of  the  poultice,  while  actually  the  higher  temperature 
of  the  latter  had  relieved  homceopathically  the  excess  of  inflammation, 
thus  facilitating  the  formation  of  the  abscess.  Why  is  the  red  oxide 
of  mercury,  which  is  known  to  produce  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  em- 
ployed with  benefit  in  some  kinds  of  ophthalmia,  in  the  form  of  St.  Yves 
salve  ?  Is  it  so  difficult  to  recognize  the  homoeopathic  nature  of  this 
process  V  Or,  why  should  a  little  juice  of  parsley  bring  instantaneous 
relief  in  cases  of  strangury,  common  among  young  children,  or  in  cases 
of  clap,  chiefly  marked  by  frequent  and  ineffectual  efforts  to  urinate, 
if  this  freshlv  prepared  juice  did  not  produce  by  itself,  in  healthy  per- 
sons, that  painful  and  ineffectual  straining,  which  proves  the  homoeo- 
pathic nature  of  its  curative  effect. 

Pimpernel  root,  increasing  the  mucous  secretion  of  the  air-passages 
and  fauces,  was  effectually  used  in  curing  the  so-called  mucous  cramp 
(bronchial  catarrh). 

The  leaves  of  the  Sabina,  themselves  capable  of  producing  uterine 


TO   THE    REVIEW   OF    PHYSIC.  5? 

haemorrhage,  were  used  successfully  in  such  cases,  without,  however, 
leading  to  the  recognition  of  the  homoeopathic  law  of  cure.  In  cases 
of  strangulated  hernia  and  ileus,  many  physicians  found  a  superior  and 
reliable  remedy  in  small  doses  of  opium,  which  has  the  property  of 
checking  intestinal  evacuations ;  notwithstanding  this  circumstance, 
they  did  not  perceive  the  operation  of  the  homoeopathic  law  in  such 
cases.  They  cured  non-venereal  ulcers  of  the  throat  with  small  doses 
of  mercury,  homoeopathic  to  these  cases  ;  they  frequently  checked  diar- 
rhoea with  small  doses  of  cathartic  rhubarb  ;  they  cured  hydrophobia 
with  Belladonna,  capable  of  producing  a  similar  affection,  and  removed 
as  if  by  magic  the  dangerous  comatose  condition  of  inflammatory 
fevers  with  a  small  dose  of  opium,  known  to  be  heating  and  stupefying. 
And  yet  they  vituperate  homoeopathy,  and  persecute  it  with  a  degree 
of  wrath  that  can  only  be  excited  in  an  incorrigible  heart  by  the  ad- 
monitions of  an  evil  conscience. 

[34]  From  these  examples,  derived  from  domestic  practice,  Mr.  M. 
Lux  has  constructed  his  so-called  curative  method  according  to  equals 
and  JfZem,  called  by  him  Isopathy,  which  some  eccentric  minds  have 
already  declared  as  the  non  plus  ultra  of  curative  methods,  without 
knowing  how  it  could  be  realized. 

If  these  examples  are  carefully  considered,  the  matter  will  appear  in 
a  very  different  light. 

The  purely  physical  forces  are  of  different  nature  from  dynamic  me- 
dicinal powers  in  their  effect  upon  the  living  organism. 

The  degree  of  warmth  or  cold  of  the  surrounding  atmosphere,  of 
water,  or  of  food  and  drink,  do  not  (considered  as  warmth  or  cold]  per 
se,  condition  an  absolute  hurtfulness  for  the  healthy  body ;  warmth 
and  cold  in  their  changes  are  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  health, 
consequently  they  are  not  medicines  per  se ;  warmth  and  cold  there- 
fore applied  to  bodily  affections  do  not  act  as  remedial  agents  by  virtue 
of  their  nature  (not  as  warmth  and  cold  considered  as  hurtful  things, 
per  se,  in  the  manner  of  drugs,  like  rhubarb,  bark,  etc.,  even  if  re- 
duced to  the  finest  doses),  but  only  by  virtue  of  their  greater  or  smaller 
quantity,  i.  e.,  according  to  the  degree  of  their  temperature  ;  thus  (to 
use  an  example  of  mere  physical  forces),  a  large  leaden  weight  would 
press  the  hand  painfully,  not  by  virtue  of  its  being  lead,  but  by  means 
of  its  quantity  and  heaviness  in  a  mass,  while  a  thin  leaden  plate 
would  cause  no  suffering. 

If  warirth  and  cold  therefore  are  beneficial  in  burns  and  freezing, 
they  are  so  on  account  of  their  degree  of  temperature,  in  the  same 
manner  as  their  extremes  of  temperature  are  obnoxious  to  the  healthy 
body. 

Accordingly  we  find  that,  in  these  examples  of  domestic  practice, 
the  frozen  limb  is  not  restored  by  the  continued  degree  of  cold  applied 


0*0          REMARKS  AND  EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

to  it  (because  that  would  have  benumbed  and  killed  it);  but  it  is  by  a 
degree  of  cold  (homoeopathy)  which  is  gradually  reduced  to  a  comfort- 
able temperature  approaching  that  of  the  limb.  Thus,  frozen  cabbage 
applied  to  the  frozen  hand  in  the  temperature  of  the  room  will  soon 
melt,  and  by  gradually  rising  from  a  temperature  of  + 1  to  2,  and  so  on 
to  that  of  the  room,  say  +  10°,  becoming  gradually  warmer,  will  thus  re- 
store the  limb  homoeopathically.  Neither  is  a  hand  scalded  by  boiling 
water,  restored  according  to  the  principle  of  isopathy  by  the  application 
of  boiling  water,  but  only  by  a  lower  degree  of  heat.  For  instance,  if 
the  hand  is  held  in  a  vessel  containing  a  fluid  heated  to  60°,  this  will 
grow  cooler  every  minute,  gradually  assuming  the  temperature  of  the 
room ;  thus  the  burned  part  will  have  been  cured  homoeopathically. 
The  first  cannot  be  drawn  isopathically  from  potatoes  or  apples  by 
means  of  water,  which  is  rapidly  becoming  ice,  but  only  by  water  re- 
maining near  the  freezing-point. 

Thus,  to  use  another  illusti-ation  of  physical  eifects:  the  suffering 
occasioned  by  a  blow  upon  the  forehead  by  some  hard  body  (of  a  severe 
bruise),  is  soon  lessened  by  pressing  the  thumb  hard  upon  the  place  for  a 
while,  gradually  diminishing  the  pressure  :  this  is  homoeopathic  relief; 
while  an  equally  severe  blow  upon  the  sore  place,  with  an  equally  hard 
body,  would  be  isopathy  ;  but  it  would  increase  the  evil. 

The  same  book  contains  further  examples  of  isopathic  cures,  such 
as  muscular  contractions  in  the  human  body  and  spinal  paralysis  in  a 
dog,  both  caused  by  cold,  and  rapidly  cured  by  cold  bathing.  This 
circumstance  is  erroneously  explained  as  being  the  result  of  isopathy. 
Disorders  resulting  from  cold  have  merely  the  name  of  colds,  but  are 
frequently  occasioned  in  a  predisposed  person  by  a  breath  of  wind 
which  was  not  even  cold.  Neither  can  the  various  effects  of  a  cold 
bath  upon  the  living  body  of  well  or  sick  persons,  be  embraced  so  com- 
pletely in  one  principle,  that  a  system  could  so  boldly  be  at  once  built 
upon  it.  That  snake-bites,  as  there  stated,  are  positively  cured  by 
parts  of  snakes,  would  be  counted  among  the  fables  of  bygone  ages, 
until  such  improbable  assertions  have  been  established  by  undoubted 
observations  and  experiences,  an  event  scarcely  to  be  looked  for. 
Finally,  it  is  said  that  the  saliva  of  a  rabid  dog,  given  to  a  man  (in 
Eussia),  raving  with  hydrophobia,  cured  him.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
such  assertions,  founded  on  hearsay,  will  mislead  no  conscientious 
physician  to  imitate  so  dangerous  an  experiment,  or  to  build  upon  it  a 
so-called  system  of  isopathy,  as  dangerous  as  it  is  absurd  in  its  ex- 
tended sense,  notwithstanding  the  praises  of  eccentric  enthusiasts 
(though  not  of  the  modest  author  of  the  pamphlet  entitled,  Isopatky 
of  Contagions,  Leipsic,  published  by  Kollmann),  particularly  Dr.  Gross 
(Alli\  Horn.  Z.,  ii,  p.  72),  who  proclaims  this  isopathy  (cequalia  cequal- 
ilms)  as  the  only  true  principle,  while  he  considers  similia  similibus 


TO   THE   REVIEW   OF    PHYSIc.  61 

merely  as  makeshift.     This  is  truly  ungrateful,  since  he  is  .ndebted  to 
similia  similibus  for  reputation  and  fortune. 

[35]  Feruelius  already  (Tlierap.,  lib.  vi,  cap.  20)  considered  the  ap- 
proximation of  a  burnt  part  to  the  fire  as  the  appropriate  remedy  for 
the  relief  of  pain.  John  Hunter  (On  the  Blood,  Inflammation,  etc.,  p. 
218)  alludes  to  the  great  disadvantage  of  treating  burns  with  cold 
water,  and  gives  decided  preference  to  the  approximation  of  fire,  not 
according  to  transmitted  medical'  doctrines,  demanding  (contraria  con- 
trariis)  cooling  applications  for  inflammations,  but  in  harmony  with 
the  experience,  that  a  similar  application  of  heat  is  more  beneficial 
(similia 


[36]  Sydenham  (Opera,  p.  271)  says:  "Alcohol,  frequently  applied, 
is  preferable  to  any  other  remedy  in  burns."  Also  Benjamin  Bell 
(System  of  Surgery,  3d  edit.,  1789),  pays  homage  to  experience,  which 
shows  homo3opathic  remedies  to  be  the  only  beneficial  ones.  He  says  : 
"One  of  the  best  remedies  for  burns  is  alcohol.  During  its  applica- 
tion it  appears  to  increase  the  pain  for  a  moment  (§  164),  but  this  soon 
subsides,  leaving  an  agreeable,  quieting  sensation.  It  acts  most 
potently  when  the  parts  are  immersed  in  the  alcohol  ;  where  that  can- 
not be  done,  the  parts  must  continually  be  covered  by  pieces  of  linen 
moistened  with  alcohol."  But  I  must  add  :  The  warm,  and  even  very 
warm  alcohol  brings  more  rapid  and  more  certain  relief  in  these  cases, 
because  it  is  much  more  homoeopathic  than  if  unwarmed.  And  this  is 
abundantly  confirmed  by  experience. 

[37]  Edward  Kentish,  who  treated  the  frightful  burns  of  workmen 
in  the  coal-mines,  occasioned  by  inflammable  vapors,  orders  "the  ap- 
plication of  heated  oil  of  turpentine,  or  alcohol,  as  the  most  excellent 
remedy  in  extensive  and  severe  burns."  (Essay  on  Burns,  London, 
1798,  second  essay.)  No  treatment  can  be  nwre  homoeopathic  than 
this,  neither  is  there  a  more  beneficial  one. 

The  honest  and  highly  experienced  Heister  (Institut.  Chirurg.,  torn. 
i,  p.  333)  confirms  this  by  his  experience,  and  praises  "the  application 
of  oil  of  turpentine,  alcohol,  and  hot  poultices,  as  hot  as  they  can  be 
borne." 

These  (homoeopathic)  remedies,  capable  of  producing  by  themselves 
burning  sensations  and  heat,  undeniably  show  their  wonderful  supe- 
riority over  the  cooling  and  cold  remedies,  if  applied  to  parts  inflamed 
by  a  burn  ;  provided,  however,  the  experiment  is  properly  conducted 
in  such  a  manner  that  both  curative  methods  are,  for  the  sake  of  com- 
p  xrison,  applied  to  the  same  person,  suffering  from  burns  of  equal  de- 
g  :ees  of  severity. 

Thus,  John  Bell  (S.  Kuhn's  Phys.  Med.  Journal,  Leipsic,  1801,  June, 


62  REMARKS   ANI    .EXPLANATORY   NOTES 

p.  428),  had  one  arm  of  a  scalded  woman  moistened  with  oil  of  turpen- 
tine, while  the  other  was  immersed  in  cold  water.  The  first  arm  wag 
well  in  half  an  hour,  but  the  latter  continued  to  be  painful  for  six 
hours.  If  withdrawn  from  the  water  only  for  a  moment,  the  patient  ex- 
perienced far  greater  pain,  requiring  far  more  time  for  relief  than  the  arm 
treated  with  turpentine. 

John  Anderson  (Kentish,  loc.  cit.  p.  43)  treated  a  woman  who  had 
burned  her  face  and  arm  with  boiling  fat.  "The  face,  which  was  much 
burned  and  red,  and  very  painful,  was  covered  in  a  few  minutes  with 
on  of  turpentine,  but  she  had  voluntarily  placed  her  arm  in  cold  water, 
<lesiring  to  treat  it  in  that  way  for  a  few  hours.  In  seven  hours  her 
face  already  looked  much  better,  and  was  relieved.  She  had  often  re- 
peated the  applications  of  cold  water  to  the  arm,  but  when  she  omitted 
them  she  complained  of  much  pain ;  in  fact  the  inflammation  was 
found  to  have  increased.  On  the  following  morning  I  found  that  she 
had  suffered  much  pain  in  the  arm  during  the  night ;  the  inflammation 
extended  above  the  elbow ;  various  large  blisters  had  opened,  and  thick 
crusts  had  formed  upon  the  arm  and.  hand,  to  which  a  warm  poultice 
was  now  applied.  But  the  face  was  completely  painless  ;  the  arm,  on 
the  contrary,  had  to  be  dressed  for  a  fortnight  with  emollients,  before 
it  healed." 

Who  would  not  recognize  in  tJiese  cases  the  great  superiority  of  the  (HO- 
MCEOPATHIC)  treatment,  by  remedies  of  similar  effect,  over  the  inferior 
treatment  by  contraries  (CONTRARIA  CONTRARIIS),  according  to  anti- 
quated rules  of  common  practice. 

[38]  Not  only  John  Hunter  (loc.  cit.)  alludes  to  the  great  disad- 
vantages of  treating  burns  with  cold  water,  but  also  W.  Fabric,  von 
Hilden  (De  combustionibus  libellus,  Basil,  1607,'  cap.  5,  p.  11),  says : 
"  Cold  applications  are  very  injurious  in  burns,  and  produce  the  most 
evil  consequences,  such  as  inflammation,  suppuration,  and  sometimes 
gangrene." 

[39]  Zimmermann  ( Uber  die  Erfahrung,  ii,  p.  318),  informs  us  that 
the  inhabitants  of  hot  countries  successfully  resort  to  that  practice, 
taking  some  spirituous  liquor  when  they  become  excessively  heated. 

[40]  The  following  quotations  from  authors,  having  a  presentiment 
of  homoeopathy,  are  not  brought  forward  for  the  purpose  of  proving 
the  stability  of  this  doctrine,  sufficiently  firm  in  itself,  but  they  are 
introduced  to  escape  the  accusation  of  having  ignored  those  presenti- 
ments, for  the  sake  of  the  credit  of  securing  the  priority  of  the  idea. 

[41]  Basil,  Froben,  153S.  §  72. 


TO  THE   REVIEW   OF   PHYSIC. 
[42]  Memoirs  de  VAcadtmie  Royale,  1710. 
[43]  Eph.  Nat.  Cur.  Cent.,  X,  obs.  76. 
[44]  Medicin.  Electrisitat,  II,  pp.  15  and  282. 
[45]  Mttmoire  lu  d  PAcad.  de  Caen. 
[46]  Libell.  de  sir  am,  p.  8. 

[47]  Jo.  Hummellii,  Commetntatio  de  arthritide  tarn  tartarea, 
tcorbutica,  seu  podagra  et  scorbuto.     Biidingae,  1738,  8,  pp.  40-42. 


ORGANON  OF  THE  ART  OF  HEALING. 


§  1.  THE  physician's  highest  and  only  calling  is  to  re- 
Btore  health  to  the  sick,  which  is  called  Healing.  [1] 

§  2.  The  highest  aim  of  healing  is  the  speedy,,  gen  tie, 
and  permanent  restitution  of  health,  or  alleviation  and  ob- 
literation of  disease  in  its  entire  extent,  in  the  shortest, 
most  reliable,  and  safest  manner,  according  to  clearly  in- 
telligible reasons. 

§  3.  The  physician  should  distinctly  understand  the 
following  conditions :  what  is  curable  in  diseases  in  gen- 
eral, and  in  each  individual  case  in  particular ;  that  is, 
the  recognition  of  disease  (indicatio).  He  should  clearly 
comprehend  what  is  curative  in  drugs  in  general,  and  in 
each  drug  in  particular ;  that  is,  he  should  possess  a  per- 
fect knowledge  of  medicinal  powers.  He  should  be  gov- 
erned by  distinct  reasons,  in  order  to  insure  recovery,  by 
adapting  what  is  curative  in  medicines  to  what  he  has 
recognized  as  undoubtedly  morbid  in  a  patient ;  that  is 
to  say,  he  should  adapt  it  so  that  the  case  is  met  by  a 
remedy  well  matched  with  regard  to  its  kind  of  action 
(selection  of  the  remedy,  indicatum) ,  its  necessary  prep- 
aration and  quantity  (proper  dose),  and  the  proper  time 
of  its  repetition.  Finally,  when  the  physician  knows  in 
each  case  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  recovery,  and  how 

6  (  65  ) 


66  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

to  remove  them,  he  is  prepared  to  act  thoroughly,  and  to 
the  purpose,  as  a  true  master  of  the  art  of  healing. 

§  4.  He  is  at  the  same  time  a  preserver  of  health  when 
he  knows  the  causes  that  disturb  health,  that  produce 
and  maintain  disease,  and  when  he  knows  how  to  remove 
them  from  healthy  persons. 

§  5.  The  physician  in  curing  derives  assistance  from 
the  knowledge  of  facts  concerning  the  most  probable  cause 
of  acute  disease,  as  well  as  from  the  most  significant 
points  in  the  entire  history  of  a  case  of  chronic  disease ; 
aided  bv  such  knowledge,  he  is  enabled  to  discover  the 

j/  O      * 

primary  cause  of  the  latter,  dependent  mostly  on  a  chronic 
miasm.  In  connection  with  this,  the  bodily  constitution 
of  a  patient  (particularly  if  he  has  a  chronic  disease), 
the  character  of  his  mind  and  temperament,  his  occupa- 
tion, his  mode  of  living  and  habits,  his  social  and  do- 
mestic relations,  his  age  and  sexual  function,  etc.,  are  to 
be  taken  into  consideration. 

§  6.  An  unbiassed  observer,  though  of  unequalled 
sagacity,  impressed  with  the  futility  of  transcendental 
speculation  unsupported  by  experience,  observes  in  each 
individual  disease  only  what  is  outwardly  discernible 
through  the  senses,  viz.,  changes  in  the  sensorial  condi- 
tion (health)  of  body  and  soul — morbid  signs  or  symp- 
toms. In  other  words,  he  observes  deviations  from  the 
previous  healthy  condition  of  the  patient,  felt  by  him, 
and  recognized  upon  him  by  his  attendants,  and  observed 
upon  him  by  the  physician.  All  of  these  observable 
signs  together  represent  the  disease  in  its  full  extent ;  that 
is,  they  constitute  together  the  true  and  only  conceivable 
form  of  the  disease.  [2] 


ORGANON    OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  6*7 

§  7.  In  a  disease  presenting  no  manifest  exciting  or 
maintaining  cause  (causa  occasionalis)  for  removal,  [3] 
nothing  is  to  be  discerned  but  symptoms.  These  alone 
(with  due  regard  to  the  possible  existence  of  some  miasm, 
and  to  accessory  circumstances,  §  5)  must  constitute  the 
medium  through  which  the  disease  demands  and  points 
out  its  curative  agent.  Hence  the  totality  of  these  symp- 
toms, this  outwardly  reflected  image  of  the  inner  nature 
of  the  disease,  i.  e.,  of  the  suffering  vital  force,  must  be 
the  chief  or  only  means  of  the  disease  to  make  known 
the  remedy  necessary  for  its  cure,  the  only  means  of  de- 
termining the  selection  of  the  appropriate  remedial  agent. 
In  short,  the  totality  of  the  symptoms  must  be  regarded 
by  the  physician  as  the  principal  and  only  condition  to 
be  recognized  and  removed  by  his  art  in  each  case  of  dis- 
ease, that  it  may  be  cured  and  converted  into  health.  [4] 

§  8.  It  is  as  impossible  to  conceive  as  to  demonstrate 
by  human  experience  that,  after  the  removal  of  every 
symptom  of  a  disease  embraced  in  the  totality  of  percep- 
tib]e  phenomena,  anything  but  health  should  or  possibly 
could  remain,  or,  that  after  such  removal,  the  morbid 
process  of  the  interior  could  still  continue  to  be  active.  [5] 

§  9.  During  the  healthy  condition  of  man  this  spirit- 
like  force  (autocracy),  animating  the  material  body  (or- 
ganism), rules  supreme  as  dynamis.  By  it  all  parts -are 
maintained  wonderfully  in  harmonious  vital  process,  both 
in  feelings  and  functions,  in  order  that  our  intelligent 
mind  may  be  free  to  make  the  living,  healthy,  bodily 
medium  subservient  to  the  higher  purpose  of  our  being. 

§  10.  The  material  organism  without  vital  force  is  in- 
capable^] of  feeling  activity  or  self-preservation.  This 


68  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

immaterial  being  (vital  force)  alone,  animating  the  organ- 
ism in  the  state  of  sickness  and  of  health,  imparts  the 
faculty  of  feeling,  and  controls  the  functions  of  life. 

§11.  In  sickness  this  spirit-like,  self-acting  (auto- 
matic) vital  force,  omnipresent  in  the  organism,  is  alone 
primarily  deranged  by  the  dynamic  influence  of  some 
morbific  agency  inimical  to  life.  Only  this  abnormally 
modified  vital  force  can  excite  morbid  sensations  in  the 
organism,  and  determine  the  abnormal  functional  activity 
which  we  call  disease.  This  force,  itself  invisible,  be- 
comes perceptible  only  through  its  effects  upon  the  organ- 
ism, makes  known,  and  has  no  other  way  of  making 
known  its  morbid  disturbance  to  the  observer  and  phy- 
sician than  by  the  manifestation  of  morbid  feelings  and 
functions ;  that  is,  by  symptoms  of  disease  in  the  visible 
material  organism. 

§  12.  Diseases  are  produced  only  by  the  morbidly  dis- 
turbed vital  force,  [7]  hence  the  manifestations  of  disease 
discernible  by  our  senses,  at  the  same  time  represent  every 
internal  change  (i.  e.,  the  entire  morbid  disturbance  of 
the  dynamis),  and  expose  to  view,  so  to  speak,  the  whole 
disease.  It  follows  that  after  the  cure  of  such  manifes- 
tations of  disease,  and  of  all  discoverable  aberrations  from 
healthy  vital  functions,  their  disappearance  must  neces- 
sarily and  with  equal  certainty  be  presumed  to  result  in, 
and  to  determine  the  restoration  of  the  integrity  of  vital 
force,  and  the  return  of  health  to  the  entire  organism. 

§  13.  Hence,  disease  (not  subject  to  the  manual  skill 
of  surgery),  considered  by  allopathists  as  a  material 
thing  hidden  within,  but  distinct  from  the  living  whole 
''the  organism  and  its  lifegiving  vital  force),  is  a  non- 


ORGANON   OF   THE   AJRT   OF   HEALING.  69 

entity,  however  subtile  it  is  thought  to  be.  It  could  have 
originated  only  in  the  minds  of  materialists,  and  has  for 
thousands  of  years  imparted  to  medical  science  manifold 
deplorable  directions,  stamping  it  as  an  unwholesome  in- 
stead of  a  healing  art. 

§  14.  Within  the  human  body  there  is  no  curable  dis- 
order, nor  any  curable  invisible  morbid  change,  that  does 
not  make  itself  known  as  disease  to  the  exact  observer 
by  means  of  signs  and  symptoms,  quite  in  accordance 
with  the  infinite  goodness  of  divine  Wisdom. 

§  15.  Hence  the  affection  of  that  morbidly  altered, 
spirit-like  dynamis  (vital  force)  ani mating  our  body,  and 
residing  unseen  in  its  interior,  and  the  complex  of  ex- 
ternally perceptible  symptoms  caused  by  that  power  in 
the  organism,  and  representing  the  actual  disease,  consti- 
tute a  whole — one  and  the  same.  Although  the  organ- 
ism as  material  instrument  serves  for  the  purpose  of  life, 
still  this  organism  is  as  inconceivable  without  animation 
derived  from  the  instinctive  feeling  and  controlling  vital 
force, as  the  vital  force  without  the  organism;  consequently 
both  constitute  a  unit,  although  our  reason  in  its  process 
of  thought  separates  this  unit  into  two  ideas  for  the  con- 
venience of  comprehension. 

§  16.  Our  vital  force,  that  spirit-like  dynamis,  can- 
not be  reached  nor  affected  except  by  a  spirit-like  (dy- 
namic) process,  resulting  from  the  hurtful  influences  of 
hostile  agencies  from  the  outer  world  acting  upon  the 
healthy  organism,  and  disturbing  the  harmonious  process 
of  life.  Neither  can  the  physician  free  the  vital  force 
from  any  of  these  morbid  disturbances,  i.  e.,  diseases,  ex- 
cept likewise  by  spirit-like  (dynamic,  virtual)  alterative 


70  OEGANON   OF   THE    ART   OF   HEALING. 

powers  of  the  appropriate  remedies  acting  upon  our  spirit- 
like  vital  force,  perceiving  this  remedial  power  through 
the  omnipresent  susceptibility  of  the  nerves  of  the  organ- 
ism. Thus,  healing  remedies  can  and  actually  do  restore 
health  and  vital  harmony  only  by  virtue  of  their  dy- 
namic action  upon  the  vital  force,  after  those  changes  in 
the  health  of  the  patient  (totality  of  symptoms),  per- 
ceivable by  our  senses,  have  represented  the  disease  to 
the  attentively  observing  physician,  as  completely  as  pos- 
sible for  the  purpose  of  its  cure. 

§  17.  In  effecting  a  cure,  the  inner  change  of  vital 
force,  forming  the  basis  of  disease,  that  is  the  totality  of 
disease,  is  always  cancelled[8]  by  removing  the  entire 
complex  of  perceptible  signs  and  disturbances  of  the  dis- 
ease. Hence  it  follows  that  the  physician  has  only  to  re- 
move the  entire  complex  of  symptoms,  in  order  to  cancel 
and  obliterate[9]  simultaneously  the  internal  change; 
that  is,  the  morbidly  altered  vital  force,  the  totality  of 
the  disease,  in  fact,  the  disease  itself.  But  disease  oblit- 
erated is  health  restored,  the  highest  and  only  object  of 
the  physician  impressed  with  the  significance  of  his  call- 
ing, which  does  not  consist  in  the  use  of  learned  phrases, 
but  in  bringing  relief. 

§  18.  It  is  then  unquestionably  true  that,  besides  the 
totality  of  symptoms,  it  is  impossible  to  discover  any 
other  manifestation  by  which  diseases  could  express  their 
need  of  relief.  Hence  it  undeniably  follows  that  the  to- 
tality of  symptoms  observed  in  each  individual  case  of 
disease,  can  be  the  only  indication  to  guide  us  in  the 
selection  of  a  remedy. 

§  19.  Now  since  diseases  are  definable  only  as  aberra- 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  71 

tions  from  the  state  of  health,  which  declare  themselves 
by  symptoms,  and  since  a  cure  also  becomes  possible  only 
by  changing  this  aberration  of  feeling  back  into  the 
healthy  state,  we  may  readily  understand  how  impossible 
it  would  be  to  cure  diseases  by  medicines  unless  these 
possessed  the  power  of  altering*  the  state  of  health  de- 
pendent on  feelings  and  functions  of  the  organism.  In 
fact,  the  curative  power  of  medicines  must  rest  alone  on 
their  power  of  altering  the  sensorial  condition  of  the 
body. 

§  20.  Neither  the  spirit-like  power  concealed  in  drugs, 
and  shown  by  their  ability  of  altering  the  health  of  man, 
nor  their  power  of  curing  diseases,  can  be  comprehended 
by  a  mere  effort  of  reason ;  it  is  only  through  manifesta- 
tions of  their  effect  upon  the  state  of  health  that  this 
power  of  drugs  is  experienced  and  distinctly  observed. 

§  21.  It  is  then  undeniable  that  the  healing  property 
of  drugs  is  actually  undiscernible  in  itself,  and  that  even 
the  purest  experiments,  conducted  by  the  most  acute  ob- 
server, fail  to  reveal  any  peculiarities  of  drugs,  marking 
them  at  once  as  medicines  or  healing  remedies.  It  is 
possible  only  to  recognize  the  power  of  drugs  to  produce 
distinct  changes  in  the  state  of  feeling  of  the  human 
body,  particularly  of  the  healthy  human  body,  and  to  ex- 
cite numerous  definite  morbid  symptoms  in  and  about  the 
same ;  and  it  follows  that,  if  drugs  act  as  curative  reme- 
dies, they  exercise  this  curative  power  only  by  virtue  of 
their  faculty  of  altering  bodily  feelings  through  the  pro- 
duction of  peculiar  symptoms.  Consequently  those  mor- 
bid disturbances,  called  forth  by  drugs  in  the  healthy 

*   Umsiimmcn  means  literally  to  alter  the  pitch  ;  to  retune. 


72  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING. 

body,  must  be  accepted  as  the  only  possible  revelation  of 
their  inherent  curative  power.  Through  them  only  we 
are  able  to  discover  what  capacity  of  producing  disease, 
and  hence,  also,  what  capacity  of  curing  disease  is  pos- 
sessed by  each  individual  drug. 

§  22.  Hence  there  is  no  discoverable  part  that  can  be  re- 
moved from  a  disease  for  the  purpose  of  restoring  health, 
except  the  totality  of  its  signs  and  symptoms.  Hence, 
also,  drugs  manifest  no  other  curative  power  except  their 
tendency  to  produce  morbid  symptoms  in  healthy  per- 
sons, and  to  remove  them  from  the  sick.  Thus  it  fol- 
lows, on  the  one  hand,  that  drugs  become  curative  reme- 
dies capable  of  obliterating  disease  only  through  their 
power  of  creating  certain  disturbances  and  symptoms ; 
that  is,  by  producing  a  certain  artificial  diseased  condi- 
tion, they  cancel  and  exterminate  the  symptoms  already 
present,  i.  e.,  the  natural  diseased  condition  which  it  is 
intended  to  cure.  It  follows,  however,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  a  remedy  must  be  found  for  the  totality  of  symptoms 
of  the  disease  to  be  cured,  which  remedy  is  inclined  to  pro- 
duce either  similar  or  contrary  symptoms,  according  to  the 
dictates  of  experience,  which  must  prove  either  similar  or 
contrary  drug-symptoms [10]  to  be  most  serviceable  with 
regard  to  ease,  certainty,  and  permanency  in  cancelling  or 
converting  into  health  the  symptoms  of  disease. 

§  23.  Each  real  experience,  and  exact  experiment  wrill 
convince  us  that  persistent  symptoms  of  disease  are  so 
imperfectlv  alleviated  or  exterminated  by  contrary  symp- 
toms of  a  drug  (used  according  to  antipathic,  enantio- 
pathic,  m  palliative  method),  that  after  a  brief  period  of 
apparent  relief  they  will  break  forth  again  in  a  more 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  73 

marked  degree,  and  visibly  aggravated.     (See  §§  58-62 
and  69.) 

§  24.  So  there  remains  no  other  manner  of  applying 
drugs  in  the  cure  of  diseases  but  the  homoeopathic  method, 
in  accordance  with  which  we  select  a  drug  to  meet  the  to- 
tality of  symptoms  of  the  case  of  disease,  which  drug 
should  possess  the  power  and  inclination  in  a  higher  de- 
gree than  any  other  (of  all  drugs  known  and  proved  with 
regard  to  their  tendency  to  alter  the  feelings  of  a  healthy 
person) ,  of  producing  an  artificial  morbid  condition  most 
similar  to  that  of  the  natural  disease. 

§  25.  But  now  actual  experience,  [11]  the  only  infal- 
lible oracle  of  medical  art,  teaches  in  every  carefully  con- 
ducted experiment  that  that  drug,  proved  in  its  effect 
upon  healthy  persons,  to  produce  the  greatest  number  of 
symptoms  similar  to  those  found  in  a  case  of  disease  to 
be  cured,  and  when  administered  in  properly  potentiated* 
and  diminished  doses,  will  rapidly,  thoroughly,  and  per- 
manently cancel  and  turn  into  health  the  totality  of 
symptoms  of  this  diseased  condition ;  that  is  (see  §§  6—16), 
the  entire  present  case  of  disease.  Experience  also 
teaches  that  all  drugs  will  unexceptionally  cure  diseases, 
the  symptoms  of  which  are  as  similar  as  possible  to  those 
of  the  drugs,  and  leave  none  uncured. 

§  26.  This  is  based  upon  that  homoeopathic  law  of 
nature  which,  hitherto  unacknowledged,  though  not  un- 
recognized, had  even  been  the  foundation  of  every  real 
cure.  In  the  living  organism  a  weaker  dynamic  affec- 
tion is  permanently  extinguished  by  a  stronger  one  if  the 


*  Potentized. 


74  ORGANON   OF   THE  ART   OF   HEALING. 

latter  (deviating  in  kind)  is  very  similar  in  Us  manifes- 
tation to  the  former.  [12] 

§  27.  Therefore,  the  healing  power  of  medicines  rests 
upon  their  faculty  of  producing  symptoms  similar  to 
the  disease,  and  superior  to  it  in  strength  (§§  12-26), 
so  that  each  individual  case  of  disease  is  most  certainly, 
fundamentally,  and  rapidly  extinguished  and  cancelled 
by  a  drug  which  is  more  potent  than  the  disease,  and 
capable  of  producing  in  the  body  symptoms  most  similar 
to,  and  completely  resembling  the  totality  of  those  of  the 
disease. 

§  28.  Since  this  natural  law  of  cure  has  been  verified 
to  the  world  by  every  pure  experiment  and  genuine  ex- 
perience, and  has  thus  become  an  established  fact,  a  sci- 
entific explanation  of  its  mode  of  action  is  of  little  im- 
portance ;  I  therefore  place  but  a  slight  value  upon  an 
attempt  at  explanation.  Nevertheless,  the  following 
view  holds  good  as  the  most  probable  one,  since  it  is  based 
entirely  upon  empirical  premises. 

§  29.  We  have  seen  that  every  disease  (not  subject  to 
surgery  alone}  is  based  upon  some  particular  morbid  de- 
rangement in  the  feelings  and  functions  of  the  vital  force; 
and  thus,  in  the  process  of  a  homceopathic  cure,  by  ad- 
ministering a  medicinal  potency  chosen  exactly  in  accord- 
ance with  the  similitude  of  symptoms,  a  somewhat  stronger, 
similar,  artificial  morbid  affection  is  implanted  upon  the 
vital  power  deranged  by  a  natural  disease;  this  artificial 
affection  is  substituted,  as  it  were,  for  the  weaker  similar 
•natural  disease  (morbid  excitation),  against  which  the 
instinctive  vital  force,  now  only  excited  to  stronger  effort 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  75 

by  the  drug-affection*  needs  only  to  direct  its  increased, 
energy;  but  owing  to  its  brief  duration[lS]  it  will  soon  be 
overcome  by  the  vital  force,  which,  liberated  first  from  the 
natural  disease,  and  finally  from  the  substituted  artificial 
(drug-)  affection,  now  again  finds  itself  enabled  to  con- 
tinue the  life  of  the  organism  in  health.  This  very 
probable  process  is  based  upon  the  following  proposi- 
tions : 

§  30.  Natural  diseases  are  cured  and  overcome  by 
proper  medicines,  because  the  health  of  the  human  body 
seems  to  be  more  readily  affected  by  drugs  (also  because 
it  is  in  our  power  to  regulate  their  dose)  than  by  natural 
morbific  agencies. 

§  31.  Those  partly  psychical  and  partly  physical  ter- 
restrial potencies  known  as  noxious  influences,  inimical 
to  life,  do  not  possess  the  morbific  power  of  modify  ing  [14] 
human  health  unconditionally;  but  they  produce  sickness 
only  at  a  time  when  our  organism  happens  to  be  suffici- 
ently disposed  and  inclined  to  become  affected,  and  to 
have  its  feeling  of  health  altered  into  morbidly  abnor- 
mal sensations  and  functions  by  the  morbific  cause  that 
is  present.  These  potencies,  therefore,  do  not  make  every 
one  sick,  nor  can  they  do  so  at  all  times. 

§  32.  The  case  is  far  different  with  artificial,  morbific- 
potencies  which  we  call  medicines.  For  every  true 


*  The  words  of  the  text  are:  "  Die  instinctartigc  Lebenskraft,  nun  bloss 
•loch  (aber  starker]  arzneikrank."  Translated  literally,  this  reads:  "  The 
instinctive  vital  force,  now  only  (stronger)  diseased  by  the  drug  affection  '' 
Although  this  defines  the  process,  it  does  not  render  it  as  intelligible  to  the 
student  as  the  slight  modification  :  "  Now  only  excited  to  stronger  effort,''  etc 
-TRANSLATOR. 


76  ORGANON   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

medicine  (drug)  acts  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circum 
stances,  upon  every  living  human  being,  and  excites  its 
peculiar  symptoms  in  the  organism  (even  very  percep- 
tibly if  the  dose  is  large  enough).  Thus,  every  living 
human  organism  is  always  (unconditionally)  affected,  and, 
as  it  were,  infected  by  the  drug  disease  which,  as  stated, 
is  not  at  all  the  case  with  natural  diseases. 

§  33.  Consequently,  experience [15]  leads  to  the  unde- 
niable conclusion  that  the  living,  human  organism  is  far 
more  disposed  and  inclined  to  be  affected,  and  to  have 
its  feelings  altered  by  medicinal  powers  than  by  other 
noxious  agencies  and  contagious  miasms;  or,  to  express 
the  same  in  other  words:  extraneous,  noxious  agencies  pos- 
sess a  subordinate,  and  often  extremely  conditional  power; 
but  drug  potencies  possess  an  absolute,  unconditional 
power,  far  superior  to  the  former  in  its  ability  to  produce 
ill  health  (morbid  discordancy)  of  the  human  body. 

§  34.  The  greater  intensity  of  artificial  diseases  pro- 
duced by  drugs,  does  not  constitute  the  only  condition  of 
their  ability  to  cure  natural  diseases.  In  order  to  per- 
form a  cure,  it  is  necessary  that  drugs  should  possess  the 
power  of  producing  in  the  human  body  an  artificial  dis- 
ease, most  similar  to  that  which  is  to  be  cured;  for  it  is  by 
virtue  of  its  similitude,  combined  with  greater  intensity, 
that  the  drug  disease  is  substituted  for  the  natural  dis- 
ease, thus  depriving  the  latter  of  its  power  to  affect  the 
vital  force.  This  is  true  to  such  an  extent,  that  even 
nature  herself  is  unable  to  cure  an  older  disease  through 
the  accession  of  a  new,  dissimilar  affection,  even  of  great 
intensity;  nor  can  the  physician  perform  a  cure  by  means 
of  drugs  incapable  of  producing  in  the  organism  a  dis- 
eased condition  similar  to  that  which  is  to  be  cured. 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OP    HEALING.  77 

§  35.  In  order  to  illustrate  the  preceding,  let  us  ex- 
amine three  different  instances  of  the  process  adopted  by 
nature  when  two  unlike  natural  diseases  meet  in  the 
human  body,  and  then  let  us  consider  the  result  of  the 
ordinary  allopathic  treatment  of  diseases  with  improper 
medicines  which  are  incapable  of  producing  an  artificial 
morbid  condition  similar  to  that  which  is  to  be  cured;  it 
will  then  become  apparent  that  nature  herself  is  unable 
to  extinguish  a  given  dissimilar  disease  by  means  of  an 
unhomceopathic,  though  stronger,  affection;  and  that  the 
most  powerful  drugs,  if  not  homoeopathic,  will  be  unable 
to  cure  any  disease  whatever. 

§  36.  I.  Two  dissimilar  diseases  coexisting  in  the 
human  body  may  be  of  equal  intensity ;  or,  in  case  the 
older  one  of  the  two  proves  to  be  of  the  greater  intensity, 
then  the  new  disease  is  kept  away  and  excluded  from  the 
body.  Thus,  a  patient  already  afflicted  with  an  intract- 
able chronic  disease,  will  not  be  attacked  by  moderate 
autumnal  dysentery,  or  any  other  epidemic.  According 
to  Larry,  [16]  the  Levantine  plague  does  not  visit  locali- 
ties where  scurvy  prevails;  neither  does  it  attack  persons 
suffering  from  herpes.  According  to  Jenner,  vaccina- 
tion proves  abortive  in  persons  suffering  from  rickets. 
Von  Hildebtand  says  that  patients  in  the  ulcerative 
stages  of  consumption,  are  not  infected  by  fevers  of  a 
mild  epidemic  form. 

§  37.  And  thus,  an  old  chronic  disease  will  remain 
stationary  and  uncured  under  the  ordinary  allopathic 
treatment  even  if  persisted  in  for  years,  that  is,  if  the  case 
had  not  been  too  harshly  treated  with  drugs  that,  by 
themselves,  cannot  produce  in  healthy  persons  a  condition 
similar  to  the  disease.  Examples  of  this  kind  may  be 


78  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

observed  in  daily  practice,  and  therefore  require  no  further 
illustration. 

§  38.  II.  Or,  the  new  dissimilar  disease  may  be  of 
greater  intensity.  In  that  case,  the  first  disease  affecting 
the  patient,  being  the  weaker,  will  be  postponed  and  sus- 
pended by  the  superadded  intenser  malady  until  the 
latter  has  terminated  its  course,  or  has  been  cured;  where- 
upon the  old  disease  will  reappear  uncured.  Thus 
Tulpius[17]  informs  us  that  two  children,  affected  by  a 
species  of  epilepsy,  were  at  once  free  from  that  disease, 
when  they  were  attacked  by  tinea  capitis;  but  as  soon  as 
the  eruption  disappeared  from  the  head,  the  epilepsy  re- 
turned in  the  same  manner  as  before.  It  was  observed 
by  Schopf[18]  that  the  itch  disappeared  when  scurvy 
attacked  the  patient ;  but  came  to  light  again  after  the 
scurvy  was  cured.  In  the  same  manner,  the  suppurative 
stage  of  consumption  became  suspended  upon  the  acces- 
sion of  violent  typhus  fever ;  but  continued  its  progress 
when  the  fever  had  ceased.  [19]  Whenever  insanity  is 
combined  with  consumption,  the  latter,  with  all  its  symp- 
toms, is  suspended  by  the  former ;  but  as  soon  as  the  in- 
sanity subsides,  consumption  returns  at  once  to  end  the 
life  of  the  patient.  [20]  When  measles  and  small-pox 
prevail  at  the  same  time,  and  both  infect  tile  same  child, 
the  measles  are  usually  arrested  in  their  course  by  the 
eruption  of  small-pox  appearing  somewhat  later;  but 
again  resume  their  progress  when  the  small-pox  has 
disappeared.  Nevertheless,  it  frequently  happened  that 
small-pox,  breaking  forth  after  inoculation,  was  arrested 
during  four  days  by  the  eruption  of  measles  occurring 
meanwhile ;  after  desquamation  of  the  measles,  the  small- 
pox was  seen  to  run  its  course  to  its  end,  as  observed 
by  Manget.[21]  Also  measles,  breaking  out  on  the  sixth 


ORGANON   OF  THE  ART  OF   HEALING.  79 

day  after  tlie  effectual  inoculation  of  small-pox,  have 
been  known  to  arrest  the  inflammation  caused  by  the  in- 
oculation of  that  virus,  so  that  the  variola-pustules  did 
not  appear  until  the  measles  had  terminated  their  course 
of  seven  days.  [22]  On  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  after 
inoculation  of  small-pox,  during  the  prevalence  of  an 
epidemic  of  measles,  in  many  persons  the  measles  pre- 
vented the  eruption  of  small-pox  until  the  former  had 
completed  their  course;  thereupon  the  variola  appeared, 
and  terminated  favorably.  [23]  The  genuine,  smooth, 
erysipelatous  scarlatina  of  Sydenham,[24]  complicated 
with  angina  faucium,  has  been  arrested  on  the  fourth  day 
by  the  eruption  of  vaccine-pustules,  after  the  termination 
of  which,  the  scarlatina  returned.  As  both  diseases  ap- 
pear to  be  of  equal  intensity,  an  eruption  of  cow-pox 
was  suspended  in  the  same  manner  on  the  eighth  .day  by 
the  accession  of  genuine,  smooth  scarlet  fever  of  Syden- 
ham ;  and  the  red  areola  of  the  former  was  seen  to  sub- 
side until  the  scarlet  fever  had  ended,  when  the  vaccine- 
pustule  progressed  to  its  termination.  [25]  In  the  other 
instance  observed  by  Kortum,[26]  cow-pox  was  sus- 
pended by  measles:  on  the  eighth  day,  when  the  cow-pox 
approached  its  perfection,  measles  broke  out ;  the  cow- 
pox  now  came  to  a  stand,  and  did  not  terminate  its 
course  until  after  desquamation  of  the  measles,  so  that 
the  cow-pox  appeared  on  the  sixteenth  day  as  it  usually 
does  on  the  tenth.  The  same  author  testifies [27]  that, 
even  during  the  presence  of  the  eruption  of  measles,  vac- 
cination proved  effectual,  but  did  not  run  its  course  until 
the  measles  had  ended  theirs. 

I  myself  saw  a  case  of  mumps  (angina  parotidea) 
vanish  when,  after  vaccination,  the  cow-pox  was  ap- 
proaching its  perfection;  and  not  until  it  had  completely 
terminated  its  course,  and  the  red  areol*  had  disappeared, 


80  ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

did  that  febrile  swelling  of  the  parotid  and  submaxillary 
glands  return  again  by  virtue  of  its  peculiar  miasm,  pro- 
gressing through  its  period  of  seven  days. 

Thus,  whenever  two  dissimilar  diseases  meet  in  the  body, 
the  stronger  one  always  suspends  the  weaker  (provided 
they  do  not  combine,  which  seldom  happens  in  the  acute 
forms) ;  but  they  never  cure  each  other. 

§  39.  For  hundreds  of  years  this  state  of  things  was 
witnessed  with  indifference  by  the  ordinary  school  of 
medicine ;  it  saw  that  not  even  nature  could  cure  any 
disease  by  superadding  another,  however  intense,  if  the 
latter  was  dissimilar  to  the  one  already  present  in  the 
body.  In  the  presence  of  such  facts,  it  was  reprehensi- 
ble on  the  part  of  that  school  to  persist  in  treating  chronic 
diseases  allopathically ;  that  is,  with  medicines  and  rec- 
ipes capable  of  producing  every  variety  of  morbid  effects, 
almost  invariably  dissimilar  to  those  of  the  disease  to  be 
cured.  And,  though  physicians  had  hitherto  neglected 
to  observe  nature  correctly,  the  deplorable  results  of  their 
treatment  should  have  led  them  to  conclude  that  their 
means  were  ill-adapted  to  the  purpose,  and  their  course 
a  wrong  one.  They  should  have  known  that,  while  they 
were  directing  severe  allopathic  treatment  (as  was  com- 
monly the  case)  against  a  chronic  disease,  they  were 
merely  creating  an  artificial  disease  dissimilar  to  the 
original  one ;  this,  while  it  was  kept  up,  only  quieted, 
suppressed,  and  suspended  the  original  malady,  always 
breaking  forth  again,  as  a  matter  of  course,  whenever  the 
decline  of  the  patient's  strength  no  longer  permitted  the 
continuance  of  these  allopathic  measures.  It  is  true  that 
frequently  repeated  purgatives  will  shortly  cause  the  erup- 
tion of  itch  to  disappear  from  the  skin ;  but  when  the  pa- 
tient ceases  to  endure  the  (dissimilar)  intestinal  disease 


ORGANON  OF  THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  81 

forced  upon  him,  and  when  he  can  no  longer  swallow 
those  purgatives,  the  cutaneous  eruption  either  reappears 
in  its  former  shape,  or  the  internal  psora  is  developed 
into  some  threatening  symptom,  burdening  the  patient 
with  painfully  deranged  digestion  and  debility  in  addi- 
tion to  his  undiminished  original  evil.  Thus,  when  ordi- 
nary practitioners  keep  up  artificial,  cutaneous  ulcers  and 
fontanels  upon  the  surface  of  the  body,  in  order  to  ex- 
terminate some  chronic  disease,  they  can  never  gain 
their  object,  nor  cure  the  disease  in  that  manner,  because 
such  artificial,  cutaneous  ulcers  are  entirely  foreign  and 
allopathic  to  the  internal  disease.  It  is  only  now  and 
then  rendered  dormant,  and  suspended  for  a  few  weeks, 
when  the  irritation  created  by  severe  fontanels  happens 
to  be  a  more  intense  (dissimilar)  disorder  than  the  in- 
ternal disease;  but  it  is  mere  temporary  suspension  while 
the  patient's  health  declines.  Pechlin[28]  and  others 
assert  that  epilepsy,  suppressed  for  many  years  by  means 
of  fontanels,  invariably  returns  in  an  aggravated  form 
when  the  issues  are  allowed  to  heal.  If  purgatives  and 
issues  are  dissimilar,  allopathic,  and  debilitating  remedies 
in  itch  and  epilepsy,  it- is  impossible  to  conceive  of  treat- 
ment more  inappropriate  than  that  by  means  of  recipes, 
only  too  commonly  compounded  of  unknown  ingredients, 
and  employed  in  ordinary  practice  in  nameless  and  count- 
less other  forms  of  disease.  These  mixtures  are  also  weak- 
ening by  suppressing  and  suspending  the  evils  only  for 
a  short  time  without  curing  them,  while  their  protracted 
use  always  adds  a  new,  morbid  condition  on  the  old  one. 

§  40.  III.  The  new  disease,  after  exerting  its  influence 
for  a  long  time  upon  the  organism,  may  join  the  old,  dis- 
similar malady,  forming  with  the  latter  a  complicated 
evil.  Each  disorder  occupies  a  certain  region  of  the 


82  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

organism ;  that  is,  each  chooses,  as  it  were,  the  most  ac- 
cessible organs  and  locality  most  peculiarly  sailed  to  it, 
while  it  leaves  the  remaining  territory  in  pos.session  of 
the  other,  dissimilar  disease.  Thus  a  person  afflicted  with 
syphilis,  may,  in  addition,  be  affected  by  the  itch,  and 
vice  versd.  As  two  dissimilar  diseases,  they  cannot  ob- 
literate or  cure  each  other.  The  syphilitic  symptoms  at 
first  remain  dormant  and  suspended,  while  the  itch  erup- 
tion begins  to  appear;  but  in  due  course  of  time,  the 
venereal  disease  being  at  least  of  equal  intensity  with  the 
itch,  they  are  associated; [29]  that  is,  each  occupies  those 
portions  of  the  organism  most  adapted  to  it;  but  the  con- 
dition of  the  patient  is  thereby  seriously  aggravated,  and 
far  more  difficult  to  cure. 

When  dissimilar,  acute,  contagious  diseases,  for  in- 
stance small-pox  and  measles,  meet  in  the  body,  they 
generally  suspend  each  other,  as  before  remarked ;  but 
there  have  been  violent  epidemics  of  this  kind  present- 
ing the  rare  phenomenon  of  two  dissimilar,  acute  diseases 
simultaneously  attacking  one  person,  thus  forming  a  com- 
plication for  a  short  time.  During  an  epidemic  where 
small-pox  and  measles  prevailed  at  the  same  time,  these 
diseases  either  avoided  or  suspended  each  other;  the 
measles  did  not  appear  until  twenty  days  after  the  small- 
•pox  eruption,  while  the  latter  did  not  attack  persons  until 
the  seventeenth  or  eighteenth  day  after  the  appearance 
of  the  measles,  so  that  the  first  disease  had  ample  .time  to 
complete  its  course.  Among  300  of  such  cases,  there  was 
but  one  in  which  P.  Russel[30]  recognized  both  dissimilar 
diseases  at  the  same  time  upon  one  person.  Rainey[31] 
twice  observed  small-pox  and  measles  together  in  the  case 
of  two  girls.  J.  Maurice[32]  declares  that  he  has  seen  in 
his  whole  practice  only  two  such  cases.  Statements  of 
this  kind  are  made  by  Ettmiiller[33]  and  others. 


ORGAXON    OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING  83 

Cow-pox  was  observed  by  Zenker[34]  to  run  its  regu- 
lar course  by  the  side  of  purple  rash  and  measles ;  and 
Jenner  made  the  same  observation  during  a  course  of 
mercurial  treatment  in  a  case  of  syphilis. 

§  41.  In  ordinary  practice,  such  complicated  diseases, 
produced  by  inappropriate  treatment  (allopathic  method 
of  cure),  and  prolonged  use  of  ill-adapted  medicines, 
are  by  far  more  frequent  than  natural  diseases,  associ- 
ated and  complicated  with  each  other  in  one  organism. 
Through  the  influence  of  a  frequently  repeated  and  inap- 
propriate medicine,  possessing  peculiar  powers  of  its  own, 
new  and  often  very  protracted  morbid  conditions  are  asso- 
ciated with  the  natural  disease,  instead  of  curing  it.  These 
new  morbid  conditions  are  gradually  blended  and  compli- 
cated with  the  dissimilar,  chronic  malady  which  they  were 
unable  to  cure  homoeopathically  by  similitude  of  effect; 
they  add  to  the  old  disease  a  new,  dissimilar,  artificial  one 
of  chronic  character,  thus  doubling  the  hitherto  simple 
case,  which  thus  becomes  far  more  severe  and  intractable, 
nay,  often  quite  incurable.  These  statements  are  corrobo- 
rated by  numerous  cases  reported  in  medical  journals  and 
treatises.  There  are  numerous  cases  of  this  kind  where 
venereal  chancre,  complicated  with  itch-disease,  or  also 
with  the  dyscrasia  of  sycotic  gonorrhoea  (Feigwarzentrip- 
per),  remains  uncured  by  protracted  and  inappropriate 
treatment  with  large  and  frequent  doses  of  mercurials,  and 
where  it  becomes  complicated  with  chronic,  mercurial  dis- 
ease, [35]  gradually  generated  in  the  organism.  Thus,  a 
monstrous  complication  is  formed,  known  by  the  general 
term  of  masked  syphilis,  which,  if  not  entirely  incur- 
able, is  most  difficult  to  eradicate. 

§  42.  Nature  herself,  as  above  stated,  in  some  instances 


84  ORGANONT   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

permits  the  combination  of  two  (or  even  of  three)  nat- 
ural diseases  in  the  same  body.  But  it  should  be  well 
understood  that  such  a  complication  can  only  be  entered 
into  by  diseases  dissimilar  to  each  other;  and  which,  ac- 
cording to  eternal  laws  of  nature,  can  neither  neutralize, 
annihilate,  nor  cure  each  other ;  whence  it  appears  as  if 
both  (or  the  three),  so  to  speak,  divided  the  organism 
between  them,  and  that  each  occupied  those  parts  of  the 
system  best  adapted  to  it.  The  dissimilarity  of  these 
diseases  renders  such  a  combination  possible. 

§  43.  But  the  result  is  far  different,  when  two  similar 
diseases  meet  in  the  organism  ;  that  is,  when  a  stronger 
and  similar  disease  is  added  to  the  one  already  present. 
A  case  of  this  kind  demonstrates  how  nature  may  ac- 
complish cures,  and  how  this  object  should  be  achieved 
by  human  skill. 

§  44.  Two  diseases  similar  in  character  cannot,  like 
dissimilar  diseases  (in  instance  I),  repel  one  another ;  nor 
can  they,  like  dissimilar  diseases  (in  instance  II),  sus- 
pend each  other,  so  that  the  older  could  return  after  the 
termination  of  the  more  recent  disease;  nor  can  two 
similar  diseases,  like  dissimilar  affections  (as  in  example 
III),  exist  side  by  side,  or  form  a  double,  complicated 
disease  in  the  organism. 

§  45.  On  the  contrary,  two  diseases,  though  different 
in  kind,  [36]  but  very  similar  in  regard  to  their  mani- 
festation of  suffering  and  symptoms,  will  always  extin- 
guish each  other  whenever  they  meet  in  the  organism ; 
the  stronger  disease  will  overcome  the  weaker  one,  for 
reasons  not  difficult  to  divine :  the  superadded  stronger 
morbific  potency,  on  account  of  its  similitude  of  effect, 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  85 

takes  possession  chiefly  of  the  same  parts  in  the  organism 
hitherto  affected  by  the  weaker,  morbific  agency ;  this  is 
thereby  deprived  of  its  power  of  action,  and  is  conse- 
quently extinguished[37].  In  other  words,  as  soon  as 
the  vital  force,  disturbed  by  the  morbific  potency  hith- 
erto acting  upon  it,  is  more  powerfully  affected  by  the 
new  and  most  similar  (but  stronger,  dynamic)  morbific 
potency,  the  latter  continues  alone  to  affect  the  vital  force ; 
and  in  this  manner  the  former  similar,  but  weaker 
agency,  being  a  mere  dynamic  power  without  substance, 
must  consequently  cease  to  exist,  and  hence,  cease  to  exert 
its  morbific  influence  upon  'the  vital  force. 

§  46.  Many  examples  might  be  enumerated  where,  in 
the  course  of  nature,  diseases  were  homoaopathically 
cured  by  others  of  similar  symptoms.  But  in  order  to 
furnish  definite  and  real  instances,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  choose  a  limited  class  of  diseases  which,  arising  from 
a  fixed  miasm,  are  always  uniform  and  known  by  a  defi- 
nite name.  Prominent  among  them  is  variola,  dreaded 
on  account  of  the  large  number  of  its  violent  symptoms, 
and  known  to  have  obliterated  and  cured  numerous  evils 
by  means  of  the  similitude  of  its  symptoms.  It  is,  for 
example,  common  during  small-pox  to  meet  with  violent 
forms  of  ophthalmia,  often  ending  in  blindness ;  and  it 
is  a  remarkable  fact  that  inoculation  with  small-pox 
completely  cured  a  protracted  case  of  ophthalmia,  as 
reported  by  Dezoteux;[38]  and  another  case  mentioned 
by  Leroy,[39]  which  was  also  permanently  cured. 

A  case  of  blindness,  caused  by  suppression  of  tinea 
capitis,  was  entirely  cured  by  small-pox,  according  to 
Klein.  [40] 

Small-pox  was  often  known  to  produce  deafness  and 
asthma.  But  both  of  these  tedious  complaints  were 


86  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING. 

cured  by  it,  when  it  had  reached  its  height,  as  was  ob- 
served by  J.  Fr.  Gloss.  [41] 

Swelling  of  the  testicles,  often  of  a  serious  kind,  is  a 
frequent  effect  of  small-pox;  and  this  disease,  therefore, 
by  means  of  its  similitude,  cured  a  large  and  hard  swell- 
ing of  the  left  testicle,  caused  by  contusion ;  as  was  ob- 
served by  Klein,  [42]  and  a  similar  swelling  of  the  testi- 
cles was  seen  by  another  observer [43]  to  be  cured  by  it. 

An  affection  of  the  bowels,  resembling  dysentery,  is 
peculiar  to  the  disturbances  connected  with  small-pox ; 
and,  as  observed  by  Fr.  Went,  [44]  a  case  of  dysentery  was 
cured  by  variola,  as  a  similar«morbific  potency. 

It  is  well  known  that  when  variola  is  added  to  cow- 
pox,  the  former,  by  virtue  of  its  superior  intensity  as 
well  as  its  great  similitude,  will  at  once  extinguish  the 
latter  homoeopathically,  and  arrest  its  development. 
Cow-pox,  on  the  other  hand,  having  nearly  attained  its 
period  of  perfection,  will,  by  its  similitude,  lessen  to  a 
great  degree  the  virulence  and  danger  of  a  subsequent 
eruption  of  small-pox,  for  which  we  have  the  testimony 
of  Miihry,[45]  and  many  others. 

The  lymph  of  inoculated  cow-pox  contains,  besides  its 
proper  preventive  vaccine  matter,  a  principle  capable 
of  producing  a  general  cutaneous  eruption  of  different 
nature;  this  rarely  consists  of  large  pustules;  but  usually 
of  small,  dry,  pointed  pimples,  seated  upon  red  areola?, 
intermingled  .with  other  circular,  red  blotches  of  skin, 
and  is  often  accompanied  by  violent  itching.  In  many 
children  this  eruption  actually  appears  several  days 
before,  but  more  frequently  after,  the  red  areola  of  the 
cow-pox,  and  vanishes  in  a  few  days,  leaving  behind 
small,  red,  and  hard  spots  of  skin.  By  means  of  the 
similitude  of  this  secondary  miasm,  the  cow-pox  cures 
similar,  and  often  inveterate  and  troublesome  cutaneous 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALIKG.  87 

eruptions  of  children,  after  the  vaccination  has  properly 
taken  effect;  and  such  homoeopathic  cures  are  perfect 
and  durable,  as  many  observers [46]  testify. 

Cow-pox  known  to  produce  the  peculiar  sympt  ,m  of 
swelling  of  the  arm, [47]  cured,  after  its  eruption,  a  swollen 
and  half-paralyzed  arm.  [48] 

The  fever^  accompanying  cow-pox  occurring  about  the 
time  of  the  appearance  of  the  red  areola,  homoeopath- 
ically  cured  intermittent  fever  in  two  persons,  as  Har- 
dege,  Jr., [49]  reports;  thereby  confirming  the  observa- 
tions of  J.  Hunter,  [50]  that  two  fevers  (being  similar) 
could  not  exist  at  one  time  in  -the  body.* 

Measles  bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  hooping-cough 
in  regard  to  fever  and  the  character  of  the  cough,  and 
hence  Bosquillon[51]  observed  that,  in  an  epidemic 
where  both  diseases  prevailed,  many  children  having 
already  had  the  measles,  escaped  the  hooping-cough  in 
this  epidemic.  The  measles  would  xthen  and  afterwards 
have  protected  all  children  against  the  contagion  of 
hooping-cough,  if  this  bore  a  more  complete  resem- 
blance to  measles ;  that  is,  if  it  were  combined  with  a 
cutaneous  eruption  similar  to  that  of  measles.  But, 

*  The  examples  of  chronic  diseases  cured  by  means  of  the  itch,  which 
were  mentioned  in  previous  editions  of  the  Organon,  are  only  to  be  regarded 
as  homoeopathic  cures  in  a  limited  sense,  in  consequence  of  the  discoveries 
and  disclosures  contained  in  the  first  part  of  the  book  On  Chronic  Diseases. 
The  severe  and  inveterate  diseases  (chronic  dyspnoea,  threatening  suffoca- 
tion, and  cases  of  consumption),  which  were  there  seen  to  vanish,  were 
originally  of  psoric  origin.  These  dangerous  symptoms  proceeded  from  ad- 
vanced psora,  developed  within  the  system.  This  was  as  usual  again  changed 
into  the  simple  form  of  primitive  itch-disease,  by  means  of  a  recent  infec- 
tion of  itch,  by  which  the  old  diseases  and  their  dangerous  symptoms  were 
removed.  Hence,  a  transformation  of  this  kind  into  the  primitive  form, 
deserves  to  be  regarded  as  a  bomoaopathic  cure  of  advanced  symptoms  of  in- 
veterate psora,  only  because  the  new  infection  places  the  patient  in  a  condi- 
tion far  more  favorable  for  the  speedy  cure  of  the  entire  psora,  by  means  of 
antipsoric  remedies. 


88  ORGAJsON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

under  these  conditions,  a  certain  number  only  could 
escape  the  hooping-cough  in  that  epidemic,  by  the 
homoeopathic  agency  of  the  measles.  But  when  measles, 
characterized  chiefly  by  the  eruption,  are  brought  in 
contact  with  a  similar  disease,  they  will  undeniably  ex- 
tinguish and  cure  it  homoeopathically.  In  this  manner 
an  inveterate  herpetic  disease  was  at  once  cured  [52]  en- 
tirely and  permanently  (homoeopathically)  by  the  erup- 
tion of  measles,  as  observed  by  Kortum.[53]  A  severe 
burning,  rash-like  eruption  on  the  face,  neck,  and  arms, 
of  six  years'  standing,  and  renewed  by  every  change  of 
weather,  was  changed,  by  .the  accession  of  measles,  into 
a  swollen  cutaneous  surface ;  after  the  disappearance  of 
the  measles  this  skiu  disease  was*  cured,  and  never  re- 
turned.^] 

§  47.  The  preceding  examples  contain  the  most  dis- 
tinct and  convincing'  argument  in  regard  to  the  kind  of 
artificial,  morbific  potency  (medicine)  to  be  chosen  by 
the  physician,  in  order  to  accomplish  rapid  and  perma- 
nent cures,  according  to  the  process  observed  in  the  course 
of  nature. 

§  48.  All  of  these  examples  prove  that  neither  the 
efforts  of  nature,  nor  of  the  physician  have  ever  been 
able  to  extinguish  or  cure  a  disease  by  means  of  a  dis- 
similar morbific  potency  however  powerful;  but  they 
prove  that  according  to  eternal  and  irrevocable  laws  of 
nature,  which  were  hitherto  misinterpreted,  cures  are 
made  to  result  alone  from  a  morbific  potency  which  is 
similar  in  symptoms,  and  somewhat  superior  in  strength. 

§  49.  We  would  be  able  to  discover  a  far  greater  num- 
ber of  instances  of  genuine,  natural,  homoeopathic  cures, 


ORGANOX   OP   THE   ART    JF   HEALING.  89 

if  observers  had  devoted  more  attention  to  them,  and 
also,  if  homo30pathic  auxiliary  diseases  (Hiilfs-Krank- 
heiten)  were  more  frequent  in  nature. 

§  50.  Great  as  the  resources  of  nature  are,  she  pos- 
sesses no  other  homeopathic  means  of  cure,  besides  a 
few  miasmatic  diseases  of  fixed  character  as  auxiliaries 
(the  itch),  measles  and  small-pox. [55]  Some  of  these 
in  their  capacity  as  curative  agencies,  [56]  are  more  dan- 
gerous to  life  and  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  diseases 
which  they  cure ;  and  others,  like  the  itch,  after  having 
served  their  purpose  of  curing  another  disease,  in  turn 
require  treatment  to  extinguish  them.  Both  of  these 
conditions  render  their  application  as  homeopathic  reme- 
dies difficult,  uncertain,  and  dangerous ;  and  besides,  there 
are  but  few  human  diseases  that  would  find  their  similar 
remedy  in  small-pox,  measles,  and  itch.  In  the  course 
of  nature,  therefore,  only  few  evils  are  cured  by  means 
of  these  uncertain  homoeopathic  agencies.  The  effects 
of  such  morbific  potencies  are  fraught  with  danger  and 
great  suffering,  because  they  cannot  be  diminished  and 
controlled  according  to  circumstances,  like  doses  of  medi- 
cine. But  in  order  to  rid  a  patient  of  a  similar  chronic 
evil,  his  body  is  completely  invaded  by  an  entire,  dan- 
gerous, and  tedious  disease,  such  as  small-pox,  measles 
(and  itch).  Nevertheless  we  have  seen  that  fortunate 
coincidences  of  this  kind  have  resulted  in  excellent 
homeopathic  cures,  serving  as  so  many  irrefutable  proofs 
of  the  existence  of  the  great  and  only  natural  law :  to 
cure  by  means  of  similitude  of  symptoms. 

§  51.  Examples  like  the  preceding  were  quite  suffi- 
cient for  the  purpose  of  revealing  this  law  of  cure  to  the 
intelligent  human  mind.  But  man  possesses  great  ad- 


90  ORGANON   OF  THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

vantages  over  crude  nature  as  observed  in  accidental 
phenomena ;  for  he  has  at  his  disposal  many  thousands 
of  homoeopathic  morbific  potencies  in  the  form  of  medici- 
nal substances,  in  which  nature  abounds  for  the  benefit 
of  suffering  fellow-beings.  He  discovers  in  them  mor- 
bific agencies  of  every  variety  of  effect,  adapted  to  the 
countless,  conceivable,  and  inconceivable  natural  -dis- 
eases, for  which  they  are  capable  of  serving  as  homoeo- 
pathic remedies.  The  power  of  these  morbific  potencies 
(medicinal  substances),  after  successfully  attaining  their 
curative  purpose,  is  overcome  by  the  vital  force,  and 
vanishes  of  itself,  without  demanding  another  curative 
process  for  its  subsequent  expulsion,  like  psora.  Artifi- 
cial morbific  potencies  of  that  kind  admit  of  being  di- 
luted, divided,  and  potentiated  to  the  verge  of  infinity, 
and  their  dose  may  be  diminished  by  the  physician  so  as 
to  retain  only  the  necessary  degree  of  superiority  over 
the  similar  natural  disease  to  be  cured ;  therefore,  the 
superiority  of  this  method  consists  in  the  avoidance  of 
every  violent  effect  upon  the  organism,  even  in  the  treat- 
ment of  inveterate  chronic  diseases ;  indeed,  the  result 
of  this  curative  method  becomes  appreciable  only  in  a 
gentle,  imperceptible,  but  none  the  less  rapid  transition 
from  the  suffering  of  natural  disease  into  the  desired, 
enduring  state  of  health. 

§  52.  After  becoming  familiar  with  the  above  illus- 
trative examples,  no  intelligent  physician  will  continue 
to  adhere  to  the  usages  of  common,  antiquated  practice 
of  attacking  the  body  in  its  least  diseased  parts  by 
(allopathic)  medicines,  such  as  purgatives,  counter-stimu- 
lants, derivatives,  etc., [57]  having  no  direct  pathical 
(homoeopathic)  rolation  to  the  disease  to  be  cured.  Such 
a  course  produces  a  heterogeneous  and  dissimilar  morbid 


ORGANON   OF  THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  91 

condition,  injurious  to  the  patient ;  his  strength  is  wasted 
by  strong  doses  of  compounds  of  mostly  unknown  drugs; 
and  these  are  followed  by  no  other  result,  than  the  one 
produced  by  the  eternal   laws  of  nature  when,  as  in  the 
cases  quoted  (or  others  of  the  same  nature),  two  dis- 
similar diseases  meet  in  the  human  organism ;  in  which 
case  diseases  are  never  cured,  but  always  aggravated. 
The  effect  of   such  treatment  will   be  of  three  "kinds : 
Example   I    (§   36)   proves   that    the   older  disease   in 
possession  of  the  body,  repels  the  accessory,  dissimilar, 
and  weaker  disease,  according  to  the  process  of  nature  ; 
in  like  manner,  the  natural  disease  remains  unchanged 
under   mild,   though   protracted    allopathic    treatment, 
which  only  debilitates  the  patient.     Or,  as  illustrated  by 
Example  II  (§  38),  the  new  and  stronger  disease  only 
disguises  and  suspends  for  a  short  time  the  older,  weaker, 
and  dissimilar  disease,  according  to  the  course  pursued 
by  nature;  in  the  same  manner,  the  violent  action  of 
strong  allopathic  medicines  upon  the  body,  will  cause  the 
earlier  disease  to  yield  apparently  for  a  time;'  but  only  to 
return  with  equal  intensity.     Lastly,  as  illustrated  by 
Example  III  (§  40),  in  the  course  of  nature,  two  dis- 
similar chronic  diseases  of  equal  intensity,  may  both  be- 
come  seated,   and    complicated   within    the    organism. 
Hence,  if  a  natural  chronic  disease  is  treated  with  dis- 
similar morbific  potencies  in  the  form  of  allopathic  medi- 
cines, in  large  and  frequently  repeated  doses,  these,  far 
from  curing  the  original  (dissimilar)  chronic  disease,  will 
generate  a  new  artificial  disease  by  the  side  of  the  older 
one,  and,  as  daily  experience  teaches,  will  only  increase 
the  illness  of  the  patient,  and  render  his  case  incurable. 

§  53.  Genuine,  gentle  cures  are  accomplished,  as  we 
have  seen,  only  by  the  principle  of  homoeopathy.     This 


92  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING. 

principle,  as  we  have  already  found  (§§  7-25)  by  conclu- 
sions derived  from  experience,  truly  furnishes  the  only 
method  enabling  human  skill  to  cure  diseases  with  great 
certainty,  rapidity,  and  permanency ;  because  this  cura- 
tive method  rests  upon  an  eternal,  infallible  law  of  na- 
ture. 

§  54.  As  above  intimated  (§§  43-49),  the  course  pur- 
sued by  homoeopathy  must  be  the  only  correct  one ;  be- 
cause of  the  three  ways  in  which  it  is  possible  to  apply 
medicines  in  diseases,  it  is  the  only  direct  one  leading  to 
a  gentle,  certain,  and  permanent  cure,  without  subsequent 
ill  effects  or  debility.  The  true  homoeopathic  method  of 
cure  is  the  only  correct,  the  only  direct,  and  the  only 
possible  means  to  be  employed  by  human  skill,  as  surely 
as  it  is  possible  to  draw  but  one  straight  line  between 
two  given  points. 

§  55.  The  next  is  the  allopathic  or  heteropathic  method 
of  applying  medicines  in  disease.  This,  though  desti- 
tute of  pathical  relation  to  the  actual  disease  within  the 
body,  is  employed  by  its  advocates  to  attack  the  soundest 
parts,  in  order,  as  they  suppose,  to  remove  -the  disease  by 
derivation.  This  was  hitherto  the  most  common  practice. 
I  have  discussed  it  in  the  Introduction,  [58]  and  shall  not 
touch  upon  it  hereafter. 

§  56.  Besides  the  two  former,  there  is  but  one  other 
way [59]  of  applying  medicines  in  diseases;  it  is  the 
antipathic  (enantiopathic) ,  or  palliative  method.  This 
affords  to  the  physician  the  opportunity  of  appearing  as 
a  benefactor,  and  the  means  of  winning  the  confidence  of 
the  patient,  by  the  delusion  of  temporary  improvement. 
The  following  will  illustrate  the  inefficacy  and  danger 


ORGANON  OF  THE  ART  OF  HEALING.          93 

of  this  method  as  applied  in  diseases  of  a  chronic  na- 
ture. Although  it  is  the  only  feature  of  the  allopathic 
mode  of  treatment,  bearing  some  visible  relation  to  a 
portion  of  the  symptoms  of  the  natural  disease,  we  find 
upon  inquiry  that  the  palliative  method  involves  a  mis- 
application (inversion)  of  principle  to  be  most  carefully 
avoided,  that  the  patient  may  not  be  deceived. 

§  57.  In  order  to  apply  the  antipathic  method,  the 
common  practitioner  singles  out  the  most  troublesome 
symptom  of  a  case,  from  among  many  others  which  he 
ignores  altogether,  and  prescribes  a  remedy  known  to 
produce  the  exact  counterpart  of  the  symptoms  to  be 
cured,  hoping  thereby  to  cure  the  latter;  and  in  this 
manner  he  may  expect  the  most  speedy  palliative  result. 
According  to  the  rule  contraria  contrariis,  dictated  by 
the  ancient  school  of  medicine  for  more  than  fifteen  hun- 
dred years,  strong  doses  of  opium  are  prescribed  for  all 
kinds  of  pain,  because  this  remedy  speedily  benumbs 
sensation ;  and  the  very  same  remedy  is  given  in  diar- 
rhoea, because  it  quickly  checks  the  peristaltic  motion  of 
the  intestines,  and  renders  them  insensible.  The  same 
remedy  is  also  given  in  sleeplessness,  because. opium  soon 
produces  a  soporific,  heavy  kind  of  sleep.  Purgatives 
are  prescribed  in  cases  of  habitual  constipation  and  cos- 
tiveness ;  and  a  burned  hand  is  immersed  in  cold  water, 
which  by  its  coldness  seems  to  remove  the  burning  pain 
as  if  by  magic.  A  patient  suffering  from  chilliness,  and 
deficiency  of  vital  warmth,  is  placed  in  a  warm  bath, 
which  temporarily  warms  his  body.  Those  who  suffer 
from  chronic  debility,  are  treated  with  wine,  which  pro- 
duces only  a  brief  period  of  temporary  revival.  Besides 
these,  several  other  antagonistic  (antipathic)  measures  are 
used,  but  their  number  is  limited,  because  the  common 


94  ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART  OF    HEALING. 

school  of  medicine  is  acquainted  with  the  peculiar  (pri- 
mary) effect  of  a  few  remedies  only. 

§  58.  If,  in  judging  this  practice,  I  were  to  overlook 
its  peculiar  fault  (see  note  to  §  7)  of  providing  only  in 
part  for  a  single  symptom,  that  is,  only  for  a  small  part 
of  the  whole  disease,  which  would  not  be  relieved  by  this 
method,  nor  the  hopes  of  the  patient  realized,  I  would, 
nevertheless,  consult  experience  to  find  a  single  instance 
of  the  employment  of  such  antipathic  remedies  in  ob- 
stinately chronic  diseases,  where  the  transient  relief 
which  they  brought,  was  not  followed  by  very  percep- 
tible aggravation,  not  only  of  a  prominent  symptom,  but 
of  the  entire  disease.  After  such  inquiry,  every  atten- 
tive observer  must  admit  that  an  aggravation  will  unex- 
ceptionally  follow  such  temporary  .antipathic  improve- 
ment ;  although  the  old  school  practitioner  will  interpret 
such  an  aggravation  differently  to  the  patient,  perhaps 
by  attributing  it  either  to  a  new  and  violent  change  in 
the  original  disease,  or  to  the  appearance  of  a  new 
one.  [60] 

§  59.  Such  palliative  antipathic  remedies  were  never 
employed  in  allaying  the  prominent  symptoms  of  pro- 
tracted diseases,  without  being  followed  in  a  few  hours 
by  the  contrary  condition,  i.  e.,  the  return  of  the  evil, 
often  seriously  aggravated.  Coffee,  producing  exhilara- 
tion in  its  primary  effect,  was  prescribed  in  cases  of 
sleepiness,  which  would  increase  as  soon  as  the  effects  of 
the  coffee  had  subsided.  Regardless  of  any  other  symp- 
toms of  the  disease,  nocturnal  wakefulness  was  treated 
by  opium,  which,  in  its  primary  effect,  produces  heavy 
sleep ;  but  in  such  cases  the  subsequent  nights  were  at- 
tended with  more  sleeplessness  than  before.  Also  with- 


ORGAXON   OF   THE    ART   OF   HEALING.  95 

out  reference  to  other  signs  of  the  disease,  chronic  diar- 
rhoea was  combated  by  opium,  the  primary  effect  of 
which  is  characterized  by  constipation ;  after  checking 
the  diarrhoea  for  a  short  time,  it  afterwards  returns  with 
greater  severity.  Violent  and  frequently  returning  pains 
of  all  kinds,  are  only  suppressed  for  a  short  time  by 
the  benumbing  effects  of  opium,  after  which  they  return 
increased  beyond  endurance ;  or  some  other  far  more 
serious  evils  are  observed  to  take  the  place  of  those  pains. 
The  common  practitioner  knows  of  no  better  remedy  for 
chronic  night-cough  than  opium,  which  suppresses  all 
kinds  of  irritation  by  its  primary  effect ;  it  may,  perhaps, 
silence  the  cough  during  the  first  night,  only  to  be  more 
aggravating  in  the  following  nights ;  and  if  it  is  again 
and  again  suppressed  by  highly  increased  doses  of  that 
palliative,  fever  and  night-sweats  will  supervene.  Weak- 
ness of  the  bladder,  and  consequent  retention  of  urine, 
was  hitherto  treated  with  tincture  of  cantharides,  an  an- 
tipathic opposite,  very  irritating  to  the  urinary  passages ; 
and,  although  it  forced  the  evacuation  of  urine  in  the 
beginning,  its  subsequent  effect  was  to  diminish  the  irri- 
tability of  the  bladder  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  make  it 
powerless  to  contract,  and  finally  to  produce  paralysis  of 
that  organ.  It  was  hitherto  customary  to  treat  inveterate 
tendency  to  constipation,  by  stimulating  the  bowels  to 
frequent  evacuations  with  powerful  purgatives  and  laxa- 
tive salts  ;  but  their  after-effects  caused  the  constipation 
to  become  more  obstinate.  In  ordinary  practice  it  is 
usual  to  prescribe  wine  in  chronic  debility ;  but  this 
merely  excites  in  its  primary  effect,  and  consequently  the 
strength  declines  to  a  lower  degree  in  the  after-effect.  It 

O  <-> 

is  usual  to  see  physicians  endeavor  to  strengthen  and 
warm  a  weakened  and  inactive  stomach  by  bitter  sub- 
stances and  heating  spices ;  but  while  that  organ  is  only 


96  ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALING. 

excited  by  the  primary  effect  of  these  palliatives,  its  in- 
activity becomes  still  more  apparent  in  their  after-effects. 
Warm  baths  are  prescribed  for  chronic  chilliness,  and 
deficiency  of  vital  warmth ;  but  such  patients  are  after- 
wards found  to  have  become  still  weaker,  colder,  and 
more  chilly.  Severe  burns  are  immediately  relieved  by 
application  of  cold  water ;  but  the  burning  pain  is  sub- 
sequently increased  beyond  endurance,  and  the  inflam- 
mation extends  and  rises  to  a  higher  degree.  [61]  Chronic 
nasal  catarrh  is  habitually  treated  by  exciting  the  flow 
of  mucus  with  errhines ;  but  the  fact  is  overlooked  that 
the  catarrh  is  constantly  increased  by  this  opposite  (in 
its  after-effect),  and  that  the  nose  is  still  more  obstructed. 
To  limbs  affected  with  chronic  debility  or  partial  pa- 
ralysis, increased  mobility  is  temporarily  imparted  by  the 
application  of  potencies  capable  of  exciting  muscular 
action  by  their  primary  effect,  such  as  electricity  and 
galvanism ;  but  the  consequence  (after-effect)  proves  to 
be  total  decline  of  muscular  contractility,  and  complete 
paralysis.  Bloodletting  was  commonly  resorted  to  for 
the  relief  of  chronic  rush  of  blood  to  the  head ;  but  the 
result  was  always  a  greater  degree  of  congestion.  In 
the  torpid  state  of  bodily  and  mental  organs,  often  found 
combined  with  stupor  in  many  forms  of  typhus,  the 
common  school  of  medicine  knew  of  no  better  remedy 
than  valerian  in  large  doses,  because  it  is  considered  as 
one  of  the  most  powerful  enlivening  and  exciting  reme- 
dies; but  that  school  was  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  this  was 
only  the  primary  effect,  and  that  the  after-effect  (counter- 
effect),  invariably  reduced  the  organism  to  a  greater  de- 
gree of  stupefaction  and  loss  of  mobility ;  leading  even- 
tually to  fatal  paralysis  of  bodily  and  mental  organs. 
It  escaped  the  attention  of  the  old  school  that  those  cases 
in  particular,  which  were  most  liberally  fed  with  the  an- 


ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALING.  97 

tipathic  valerian,  usually  terminated  in  death.  The  old- 
school  physician  rejoices[62]  in  his  ability  to  retard  for 
a  few  hours  the  small,  rapid  pulse  in  cachexias,  by  the 
primary  effect  of  the  first  dose  of  purple  foxglove ;  but 
soon  its  rapidity  is  renewed ;  repeated  and  increased  doses 
lose  their  effect,  and  at  length  entirely  cease  to  lessen  the 
frequency  of  the  pulse,  which,  on  the  contrary,  now 
grows  countless  in  the  after-effect ;  sleep,  appetite,  and 
strength  depart,  and  speedy"  dissolution  is  the  inevitable 
consequence,  unless  insanity  supervenes.  Though  un- 
recognized by  false  theories,  deplorable  results  prove  how 
frequently  aggravations  of  diseases,  and  still  more  unde- 
sirable consequences,  are  produced  by  the  after-effects  of 
such  opposite  or  antipathic  remedies. 

§  60.  In  the  presence  of  these  evil  results,  necessarily 
proceeding  from  the  antipathic  use  of  medicines,  the 
ordinary  physician  endeavors  to  escape  the  difficulty,  as 
he  thinks,  by  a  stronger  dose  of  the  remedy,  given  dur- 
ing every  new  aggravation,  which  is  succeeded  by  a  lull 
of  short  duration.  But  as  such  transient  relief  makes  a 
constant  increase  of  the  palliative  dose  necessary,  this  is 
followed  by  a  new  and  more  serious  disorder,  if  not  by 
danger  to  life,  or  by  death  itself.  But  the  original  dis- 
ease, whether  acute  or  chronic,  is  never  cured  by  such 
means. 

§  61.  Had  physicians  correctly  observed  and  considered 
the  deplorable  results  of  the  antipathic  application  of 
medicines,  they  would  long  ago  have  discovered  the  great 
truth,  that  the  true  method  of  performing  permanent  cures 
must  be  the  exact  counterpart  of  such  antipathic  treat- 
ment. They  would  have  perceived  that,  whenever  the 
opposite  or  antipathic  administration  of  medicine  pro- 


98  ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALING. 

duced  a  brief  period  of  alleviation,  this  would  subside, 
only  to  be  followed  by  one  of  aggravation,  and  that,  con- 
sequently, the  process  should  have  been  reversed ;  that  is 
to  say,  the  homoeopathic  application  of  medicines  accord- 
ing to  their  'symptom-similitude,  would  ha/ve  brought 
about  a  lasting  and  perfect  cure,  provided  that,  instead  of 
large  quantities  of  medicine,  the  most  minute  doses  had 
been  employed.  Notwithstanding  the  experience  of 
many  centuries,  physicians  did  not  recognize  this  great 
and  salutary  truth.  They  appear  to  have  ignored  en- 
tirely the  results  of  treatment  above  described,  as  well  as 
the  other  fact,  that  no  physician  ever  effected  a  perma- 
nent cure ,  of  an  inveterate  disease,  unless  some  drug  of 
predominant  homoeopathic  effect  had  been  by  chance 
embodied  in  his  prescription ;  nor  were  they  able  to  com- 
prehend that  every  rapid  and  perfect  cure,  accomplished 
by  nature  without  the  aid  of  human  skill  (§  46),  was 
always  produced  by  a  similar  disease  coming  to  the  one 
already  present. 

§  62.  The  following  will  explain  the  source  of  danger 
of  antipathic  treatment,  as  well  as  the  efficacy  of  its 
counterpart,  the  homoeopathic  method.  The  examples 
chosen  for  this  purpose,  are  derived  from  numerous  ob- 
servations which  have  entirely  escaped  notice  before  1 
called  attention  to  them,  although  they  were  within  the 
reach  of  every  one,  quite  intelligible,  and  of  vast  im- 
portance in  their  relation  to  medical  art. 

§  63.  Every  drug,  like  every  other  influence  affecting 
vitality,  alters  the  harmony  of  the  vital  force  more  or 
less,  and  produces  a  certain  change  in  the  state  of  health 
of  the  body  for  a  longer  or  shorter  space  of  time.  This 
is  called  primary  effect.  Although  a  product  of  drug 


ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  99 

and  vital  force,  it  is  probably  due  chiefly  to  the  action  of 
the  drug.  Our  vital  force,  by  means  of  its  energy,  en- 
deavors to  oppose  this  effect ;  the  resulting  conservative 
reaction  is  an  automatic  activity  of  the  vital  force,  and  is 
called  after-effect  or  counter-effect. 

§  64.  During  the  primary  effect  of  artificial,  morbific 
potencies  (drugs)  acting  upon  our  healthy  body,  our 
vital  force  seems  to  be  only  receptive  or  passive,  and  ap- 
pears to  be  compelled,  as  it  were,  to  receive  the  impres- 
sions made  upon  it  by  the  drug,  and  to  allow  the  state  of 
health  to  be  altered  by  it.  Thereupon  the  vital  force 
seems  to  rally,  and  the  result  may  be  twofold :  first,  if 
the  possibility  exists  of  producing  the  exact  counterpart 
of  the  primary  effect,  the  vital  force  calls  it  forth  in  form 
of  the  exact  opposite  state  of  feeling  (counter-effect), 
which  is  quite  in  proportion  to  the  energy  of  the  vital 
force,  and  to  the  intensity  of  the  primary  impression 
made  upon  it  by  the  artificial  morbific  potency  or  medi- 
cine ;  or,  secondly,  where  nature  affords  no  exact  oppo- 
site condition  to  the  primary  effect,  the  vital  force 
apparently  endeavors  to  become  neutralized  (sich  zu  in- 
differenziren),  i.  e.,  to  put  forth  its  superior  strength  in 
extinguishing  the  impression  made  upon  it  by  the  drug, 
thereby  reestablishing  the  normal  state  of  health,  which 
is  the  after-effect,  or  curative  effect. 

§  65.  Examples  of  the  first  instance  referred  to,  are 
familiar  to  everybody.  A  hand  bathed  in  hot  water  is  at 
first  much  warmer  than  the  other  unbathed  hand  (pri- 
mary effect) ;  but  removed  from  the  hot  water,  and  having 
been  well  dried,  it  will  after  awhile  grow  cold,  and  at 
last  much  colder  than  the  other  hand  (after-effect).  A 
person  heated  by  violent  bodily  exercise  (primary  effect) 


100  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

will  afterwards  feel  chills  and  rigors  (after-effect) .  To 
a  person  heated  by  drinking  too  much  wine  (primary 
effect),  every  breath  of  air  will  seem  too  cold  next  day 
(counter-effect  of  the  organism,  after-effect).  An  arm 
immersed  for  a  length  of  time  in  very  cold  water,  is  at 
first  much  paler  and  colder  (primary  effect)  than  the 
other,  but  withdrawn  from  the  water  and  dried,  it  will 
become  not  only  warmer  than  the  other,  but  even  hot, 
red,  and  inflamed  (after-effect,  counter-effect  of  the  vital 
force).  The  primary  effect  of  strong  coffee  is  excessive 
wakefulness,  but  lassitude  and  sleepiness  will  remain 
long  afterwards  (counter-effect,  after-effect),  if  this  sleep- 
iness is  temporarily  removed  by  the  repeated  use  of 
coffee  (palliative).  The  heavy,  soporific  sleep  produced 
by  opium  (primary  effect),  will  be  followed  next  night  by 
greater  sleeplessness  (counter-effect,  after-effect).  After 
constipation  produced  by  opium  (primary  effect)  follows 
diarrhoea  (after-effect),  and  after  purging  (primary  effect) 
excited  by  drugs  which  stimulate  the  bowels,  constipation 
and  costiveness  (after-effect)  may  be  observed  for  several 
days.  And  thus,  whenever  the  possibility  actually  exists, 
the  exact  counterpart  is  always  produced  by  our  vital 
force  in  its  after-effect,  following  each  primary  effect  of  a 
large  dose  of  any  potency,  by  which  the  feelings  of  the 
healthy  body  are  seriously  deranged. 

§  66.  A  conspicuous  opposite  or  after-effect  is  imper- 
ceptible during  the  action  of  very  minute,  homoeopathic 
doses  of  alterative  potencies  (drugs,  medicines)  in  the 
healthy  body.  Although  minute  doses,  when  closely  ob- 
served, may  be  seen  to  produce  a  perceptible  primary 
effect,  the  living  organism  sets  up  only  so  much  counter- 
effect  (after-effect)  as  is  required  for  the  re-establishment 
of  the  normal  condition. 


ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  101 

§  67.  Incontrovertible  truths  like  the  preceding,  spon- 
taneously offered  by  nature  and  experience,  explain  to  us 
the  salutary  process  of  homoeopathic  cures,  and  expose, 
at  the  same  time,  the  objections  to  palliative  treatment 
of  the  sick,  by  means  of  the  antipathic  effects  of  medi- 
cines. [63] 

§  68.  We  learn  from  homoeopathic  cures  that,  after  the 
extinction  of  the  natural  disease,  there  is  apt  to  linger  in 
the  system  a  remnant  of  the  drug  disease  engendered  by 
the  minute  doses  of  medicine  (§§  275-287)  required  by 
this  method  of  cure,  and  which  were  just  sufficient  to 
overcome  and  to  supersede  the  similar,  natural  disease  by 
the  similitude  of  their  symptoms.  But  we  also  learn 
that  this  remnant  of  drug  disease  is  very  transient,  and 
vanishes  easily  and  quickly  on  account  of  the  extreme 
minuteness  of  the  dose;  this  prevents  the  vital  force  from 
being  aroused  to  a  greater  degree  of  counteraction 
against  this  slight  artificial  effect  than  is  requisite  for  the 
restoration  of  feelings  to  the  standard  of  health.  That 
is,  for  the  purpose  of  complete  recovery,  the  vital  force 
needs  to  make  but  a  slight  additional  exertion  to  over- 
come the  effects  of  the  medicine,  after  the  extinction  of 
the  disease  for  which  it  was  given.  (This  may  serve  to 
explain  the  second  instance  in  §  65.) 

§  69.  Precisely  the  reverse  of  this,  takes  place  in  anti- 
pathic (palliative)  treatment.  The  drug  symptom  op- 
posed by  the  physician  to  a  symptom  of  the  disease  (e.  g., 
insensibility  and  stupor,  the  primary  effect  of  opium  in 
opposition  to  acute  pain),  is  not  allopathic  in  relation  to 
the  latter.  There  evidently  exists  a  relation  between 
drug-symptom  and  disease-symptom,  but  it  is  reversed. 
The  extinction  of  the  disease-symptom  is,  in  this  case,  to 


102  OEGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  • 

be  accomplished  by  an  opposite  drug-symptom,  which  is 
quite  impossible.  It  is  true  that  the  antipathic  medicine 
acts  upon  the  same  diseased  region  of  the  body,  and  with 
the  same  degree  of  certainty  as  the  homoeopathic  medi- 
cine selected  on  account  of  its  similar  morbific  effect,  but 
the  former  being  an  opposite  to  the  symptom  of  the  dis- 
ease, it  only  obscures  the  latter,  and  renders  it  impercep- 
tible for  a  short  time.  The  vital  force  perceives  no  disa- 
greeable sensation  (neither  from  the  symptoms  of  the  dis- 
ease, nor  from  that  of  the  opponent  drug)  during  the  first 
moment  of  the  effect  produced  by  the  opponent  palliative, 
because  both  appear  to  have  cancelled,  or  to  have  dynami- 
cally neutralized  each  other;  as,  e.  g.,  the  benumbing 
power  of  opium  seems  to  neutralize  pain.  During  the 
first  minutes  of  palliative  effect,  the  vital  force  feels  as  if 
in  health,  perceiving  neither  the  benumbing  effect  of 
opium,  nor  the  pain  of  the  disease.  But  since  the  oppo- 
site drug  effect  is  not  a  most  similar  (stronger,  artificial) 
disease,  influencing  the  vital  force  like  the  effect  of  a 
remedy  chosen  according  to  the  homceopathic  method,  it 
cannot  occupy  the  place  of  the  natural,  morbid  disturb- 
ance in  the  organism ;  and  consequently  the  effect  of  the 
palliative  medicine,  differing  totally  in  contrast  with  the 
natural  disease,  will  be  unable  to  extinguish  the  latter. 
Although,  by  means  of  the  apparent  dynamic  neutraliza- 
tion [64]  of  the  palliative,  the  vital  force  seems  at  first  to 
be  made  insensible  to  the  morbid  disturbance,  the  effect  of 
the  palliative  will,  nevertheless,  subside  of  its  own  accord, 
like  every  drug  effect,  But  it  will  leave  the  disease  to 
remain  as  it  was ;  for,  in  order  to  produce  the  semblance 
of  relief,  it  had  to  be  administered  in  large  doses  like  all 
palliatives,  and  as  such  it  incites  the  vital  force  to  a  state 
of  opposition  to  this  palliative  medicine  (§§  63-65).  This 
opposition,  though  the  counterpart  of  the  palliative,  re- 


ORGAJS'OX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  103 

sembles  tho  natural  disease  still  present  and  uncured,  but 
necessarily  intensified  and  increased  [65]  by  the  additional 
activity  which  the  vital  force  was  obliged  to  maintain  in 
counteracting  the  palliative.  Therefore,  after  the  de- 
cline of  the  palliative  drug  effect,  the  obnoxious  symp- 
toms (a  mere  part  of  the  disease)  will  be  found  to  have 
been  aggravated  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  palliative 
dose.  And,  to  continue  the  same  example,  the  larger 
the  dose  of  opium  is,  for  the  purpose  of  obscuring  the 
pain,  so  much  the  more  will  the  latter  be  increased  be- 
yond its  original  intensity  as  soon  as  the  opium  has 
ceased  to  act.  [66] 

§  70.  After  these  premises,  the  following  points  must 
be  admitted  as  true : 

1st.  All  that  a  physician  may  regard  as  curable  in  dis- 
eases, consists  entirely  in  the  complaints  of  the  patient, 
and  the  morbid  changes  of  his  health  perceptible  to  the 
senses ;  that  is  to  say,  it  consists  entirely  in  the  totality 
of  symptoms  through  which  the  disease  expresses  its  de- 
mand for  the  appropriate  remedy ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  every  fictitious  or  obscure,  internal  cause  and  con- 
dition, or  imaginary,  material,  morbific  matter  are  not 
objects  of  treatment. 

2d.  This  change  of  health  (discord  of  feeling)  which 
we  call  disease,  can  only  be  changed  back  (umstimmen) 
to  the  normal  state  by  means  of  medicines,  the  curative 
power  of  which,  consequently,  consists  in  their  ability 
to  alter  the  state  of  feelings ;  i.  e.,  in  the  production  of 
peculiar,  morbid  symptoms,  recognized  most  distinctly 
and  purely  by  testing  these  medicines  upon  the  bodies 
•\f  healthy  persons. 

3d.  According  to  experience,  natural  disease  cannot 
be  cured  by  medicines  producing  by  themselves,  in 


104  ORGANOX  OF  THE  ART  OF  HEALING. 

healthy  persons,  a  morbid  condition  dissimilar  to  and 
different  from  that  of  the  disease  to  be  cured.  It  is, 
therefore,  incurable  by  allopathic  treatment,  and  even 
nature  herself  never  cures  natural  disease  by  super- 
adding  another  disease,  dissimilar  to,  though  of  much 
greater  intensity  than  the  first. 

4th.  Experience  also  teaches  that  only  transient  relief 
is  procured  by  medicines  inclined  to  generate  in  a  healthy 
person,  an  artificial  symptom  which  is  the  exact  oppo- 
site of  certain  symptoms,  peculiar  to  the  natural  disease 
to  be  cured.  And  we  also  learn  that  such  medicines  can 
never  cure  an  inveterate  disease,  without  always  creating 
a  subsequent  aggravation  of  the  same.  On  this  account 
this  antipathic,  palliative  process  is  entirely  inappropri- 
ate in  its  application  to  chronic  and  serious  diseases. 

5th.  The  only  really  salutary  treatment  is  that  of  the 
homoeopathic  method,  according  to  which  the  totality  of 
symptoms  of  a  natural  disease  is  combated  by  a  medi- 
cine in  commensurate  dose,  capable  of  creating  in  the 
healthy  body,  symptoms  most  similar  to  those  of  the 
natural  disease.  And  as  diseases  are  only  dynamic  dis- 
turbances of  the  vital  force,  they  are  overcome  without 
additional  suffering,  and  having  been  perfectly  and  per- 
manently extinguished,  they  must  cease  to  exist.  Na- 
ture when  left  to  her  own  resources,  furnishes  examples 
in  the  form  of  accidental  cures ;  as,  for  instance,  when  a 
new  and  similar  disease  is  added  to  the  older  one,  this  is 
permanently  extinguished  and  cured. 

§  71.  Now,  since  it  is  subject  to  no  further  doubt, 
that  human  diseases  consist  merely  in  groups  of  certain 
symptoms,  and  that  these  may  be  extinguished,  and  the 
system  restored  to  health  only  by  means  of  a  medicinal 
substance  possessing  the  power  of  producing  artificial, 


ORGANON   OP   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  105 

morbid  symptoms,  similar  to  the  disease  (whereon  rests 
the  process  of  every  genuine  cure),  the  business  of  curing 
will  depend  on  the  solution  of  the  following  problems : 

I.  How  does  the  physician  gain  the  knowledge  of  dis- 
ease, necessary  for  the  purpose  of  cure  ? 

II.  How  does  he  gain  his  knowledge  of  the  morbific 
power  of  drugs,  as  the  implements  designed  for  the  cure 
of  natural  diseases  ? 

III.  How  does  he  apply  these  artificial,  morbific  poten- 
cies  (drugs)  most  effectively  in  the  cure  of  diseases? 

§  72.  Regarding  the  first  point,  the  following  may 
serve  as  a  general  illustration.  Diseases  peculiar  to  man- 
kind, are  of  two  classes.  The  first  includes  rapid,  mor- 
bid processes  caused  by  abnormal  states  and  derange- 
ments of  the  vital  force ;  such .  affections  usually  run 
their  course  within  a  brief  period  of  variable  duration, 
and  are  called  acute  diseases.  The  second  class  em- 
braces diseases  which  often  seem  trifling  and  impercep- 
tible in  the  beginning ;  but  which,  in  a  manner  peculiar 
to  themselves,  act  deleteriously  upon  the  living  organism, 
dynamically  deranging  the  latter,  and  insidiously  un- 
dermining its  health  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  automatic 
energy  of  the  vital  force,  designed  for  the  preservation 
of  life,  can  only  make  imperfect  and  ineffectual  resist- 
ance to  these  diseases  in  their  beginning,  as  well  as 
during  their  progress.  Unable  to  extinguish  them  with- 
out assistance,  the  vital  force  is  powerless  to  prevent  their 
growth  or  its  own  gradual  deterioration,  resulting  in  the 
final  destruction  of  the  organism.  These  are  called 
chronic  diseases,  and  are  originated  by  infection  with  a 
chronic  miasm. 

§  73.  Acute  diseases  likewise  admit  of  division  into 


106  ORGANON    OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

several  classes.  The  first  .ire  those  which  attack  single 
individuals ;  they  are  occasioned  by  hurtful  influences  to 
which  the  patient  happened  to  be  exposed.  Excesses  in 
sensual  enjoyment,  or  deprivation  of  the  same ;  violent 
physical  impressions;  exposure  to  cold;  overheating; 
excessive  muscular  exertion  ;  physical  or  mental  excite- 
ment, etc.,  give  rise  to  acute  febrile  diseases.  They  are, 
however,  in  reality  but  transient  aggravations  of  latent 
psora,  which  returns  to  its  dormant  condition  of  its  own 
accord,  provided  the  acute  disease  was  not  too  violent 
and  speedily  relieved.  The  second  class  includes  spora- 
dic diseases  which  attack  several  persons  simultaneously 
in  isolated  localities.  They  are  engendered  by  meteoric 
or  telluric  agencies,  to  the  morbific  influence  of  which, 
only  few  persons  are  susceptible  at  a  time.  Next  to  this 
class  come  the  epidemic  diseases,  which  attack  many  per- 
sons at  the  same  time ;  they  arise  from  the  same  cause, 
and  individual  cases  resemble  each  other ;  these  diseases 
usually  become  infectious  (contagious)  when  they  per- 
vade crowded  districts,  where  th'ey  create  fevers  [67]  of 
a  distinct  kind ;  and  as  the  cases  of  disease  are  of  like 
origin,  they  are  also  alike  in  their  manifestations ;  but 
if  left  to  themselves,  they  will,  within  a  limited  period, 
terminate  in  recovery  or  death,  as  the  case  may  be. 
War,  inundations,  and  famine  frequently  give  rise  and 
growth  to  such  diseases.  They  often  appear  in  the  form 
of  distinct  acute  miasms,  that  invariably  appear  in  the 
same  form  (whence  they  are  known  by  a  traditional 
name).  Some  of  them  attack  the  same  person  but  once 
in  life,  like  small-pox,  measles,  hooping-cough,  the  once 
well-known  smooth,  light-red  scarlet  fever [68]  of  Sy den- 
ham,  the  mumps,  etc.,  or  they  may  repeatedly  attack  the 
same  person;  like  the  levantine  plague,  returning  in 


ORGANON  OF  THE  ART  OF  HEALING.         107 

nearly  the  same  form ;  the  yellow  fever  infecting  districts 
on  the  seacoast ;  the  Asiatic  cholera,  etc. 

§  74.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  we  are  still  obliged 
to  count  among  chronic  diseases  very  common  affections 
which  are  to  be  regarded  as  the  result  of  allopathic  treat- 
ment, and  the  continual  use  of  violent,  heroic  medicines, 
in  large  and  increasing  doses.  Examples  of  that  kind 
are :  the  abuse  of  calomel,  corrosive  sublimate,  mercurial 
ointment,  nitrate  of  silver,  iodine  and  its  ointments, 
opium,  valerian,  Peruvian  bark  and  quinia,  digitalis,  prus- 
sic  acid,  sulphur  and  sulphuric  acid,  the  use  of  purgatives 
persisted  in  for  years,  bloodletting,  leeches,  issues,  setons, 
etc.  Such  wanton  treatment  weakens  the  organism  ;  or, 
if  not  entirely  prostrated,  it  is  gradually  and  abnormally 
deranged,  according  to  the  individual  character  of  each 
drug.  During  this  exhausting  and  deleterious  treatment, 
the  vital  force  is  compelled,  in  defence  of  life,  to  alter  the 
entire  organism.  Accordingly,  it  diminishes  or  increases 
the  irritability,  or  sensibility  of  various  parts;  it  pro- 
duces hypertrophy  or  atrophy ;  softening  or  induration 
in  certain  organs,  resulting  eventually  in  destruction,  or, 
at  least,  in  organic  lesions  (deformities)  of  external  or 
internal  parts.  [69]  These  are  some  of  the  results  of  the 
efforts  of  nature  to  protect  the  organism  against  complete 
destruction,  to  which  it  is  exposed  by  the  constant  re- 
newal of  aggressive  treatment  with  pernicious  substances. 

§  75.  Instances  of  ruined  health,  resulting  from  allo- 
pathic treatment,  are  very  common  in  modern  times. 
They  constitute  the  most  pitiable,  and  incurable  of  chronic 
diseases,  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  remedies  will  probably 
never  be  found,  or  invented  for  the  cure  of  such  condi- 


108  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

tions,    when   they   have   reached   a   certain   degree   of 
severity. 

§  76.  It  is  only  through  homceopathy  that  Providence 
has  vouchsafed  to  us  the  means  of  curing  natural  dis- 
eases ;  but  not  those  chronic  external  and  internal  lesions 
and  deformities,  wantonly  forced  upon  the  human  or- 
ganism by  unskilful  treatment,  and  pernicious  medicines. 
Nevertheless,  if  proper  measures  are  directed  against  the 
chronic  miasm,  perhaps  lurking  in  the  system,  the  vital 
force  might  still  be  made  to  undo  much  of  the  mischief, 
provided  it  had  not  been  weakened  by  treatment  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  prevent  it  from  being  undisturbed  for  a 
sufficient  number  of  years,  required  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  enormous  task.  The  art  of  healing  is  not, 
and  never  will  be  perfected  so  far,  as  to  enable  us  to  rec- 
tify the  countless  ill  effects  so  often  observable  after  allo- 
pathic treatment  of  the  sick. 

§  77.  The  name  of  chronic  diseases  does  not  apply 
to  those  which  are  produced  by  constant  exposure  to 
avoidable  noxious  influences ;  by  indulgence  in  habitual 
excesses  in  eating,  drinking,  and  various  kinds  of 
health-destroying  debauchery ;  nor  to  those  diseases  which 
result  from  constant  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life; 
unhealthy  dwellings,  particularly  in  marshy  localities  ; 
diseases  peculiar  to  the  inhabitants  of  cellars  or  other 
confined  places,  suffering  from  want  of  fresh  air  and  ex- 
ercise ;  nor  those  which  are  the  result  of  overtaxed  body 
and  mind,  or  continued  mortifications  and  trouble,  etc. 
Provided  there  is  no  other  chronic  miasm  pervading 
the  organism,  unhealthy  conditions  like  the  above,  will 
vanish  of  their  own  accord,  under  an  improved  mode  of 


ORGANON  OF  THE  ART  OF  HEALING.         109 

living,  and  they  do  not  deserve  the  name  of  chronic 
diseases. 

§  78.  True,  natural,  chronic  diseases  are  those  which 
owe  their  origin  to  a  chronic  miasm;  they  constantly 
extend,  and,  notwithstanding  the  most  carefully  regu- 
lated mental  and  bodily  habits,  they  will  never  cease  to 
torment  their  victim  with  constantly  renewed  suffering 
to  the  end  of  his  life,  if  left  to  themselves  without  the 
aid  of  specific  remedies  for  their  relief.  These  are  the 
most  numerous,  and  the  source  of  great  suffering  to  the 
human  race ;  the  most  robust  constitution,  the  best  of 
habits,  and  the  greatest  energy  of  unaided  vital  force  are 
unable  to  resist  them. 

§  79.  Hitherto  only  syphilis  was  known  to  some  ex- 
tent as  one  of  these  chronic  miasmatic  diseases,  which, 
if  left  uncured,  will  become  extinct  only  with  life  itself. 
Sycosis  (cauliflower-excrescences)  if  left  to  itself  un- 
cured, is  likewise  inextinguishable  by  the  vital  force,  and 
was  not  hitherto  recognized  as  an  internal,  chronic,  mias- 
matic disease  of  peculiar  nature,  as  it  undoubtedly  is. 
Without  noticing  the  perpetual  evils  entailed  by  it,  the 
destruction  of  the  cutaneous  excrescences  alone,  was  con- 
sidered as  a  cure  of  the  entire  disease. 

* 

§  80.  But  psora,  as  a  chronic  miasm,  is  of  incompar- 
ably greater  significance  than  either  of  the  above-named 
chronic  miasms.  While  venereal  chancre  and  the  cauli- 
flower excrescences  mark  the  internal,  specific  nature  of 
the  two  former  diseases,  psora,  after  complete  infection 
of  the  entire  organism,  indicates  its  origin  from  an  in- 
ternal and  monstrous  chronic  miasm,  by  a  peculiar  cuta- 
neous eruption,  sometimes  consisting  merely  in  a  few 


.  110  OROANON   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

pimples  combined  with  intolerable  tickling,  voluptuous 
itching,  and  specific  odor.  Psora  is  the  only  real, 
fundamental  cause  and  source  of  all  the  other  countless 
forms  of  disease,  [70]  figuring  as  peculiar  and  definite 
diseases  in  books  on  pathology,  under  the  names  of  ner- 
vous debility,  hysteria,  hypochondriasis,  mania,  melan- 
choly, idiocy,  madness,  epilepsy  and  convulsions  of  all 
kinds,  softening  of  the  bones  (rachitis),  scoliosis  and 
kyphosis,  caries  of  the  bones,  cancer,  varices,  pseudo- 
plasms,  gout,  haemorrhoids,  icterus  and  cyanosis,  dropsy, 
amenorrhoea,  haemorrhages  from  the  stomach,  nose,  lungs, 
bladder,  or  uterus;  asthma  and  suppuration  of  the  lungs; 
impotence  and  sterility;  sick  headache  (hemicrania)^ 
deafness ;  cataract  and  glaucoma ;  renal  calculus ;  pa- 
ralysis ;  deficiency  of  the  special  senses,  and  pains  of 
every  variety. 

§  81.  Without  doubt  this  ancient,  smouldering  conta- 
gion has  gradually  passed  through  several  hundreds  of 
generations,  and  many  millions  of  human  organisms,* 
thus  reaching  an  incredible  degree  of  development.  We 
may,  therefore,  comprehend  in  a  measure,  how  it  became 
developed  into  countless  forms  of  disease  peculiar  to  the 
great  human  race;  particularly  when  we  contemplate 
the  mass  of  circumstances [71]  which  produce  and  favor 
the  formation  of  so  great  a  variety  of  chronic  diseases 
(secondary  symptoms  of  psora).  Considering  the  end- 
less diversity  in  human  beings,  differing  among  each 
other  in  regard  to  bodily  constitutions  of  countless  va- 
riety, it  is  not  a  matter  of  surprise  that  ordinary  and 
manifold,  noxious  influences,  acting  from  within  and 
from  without  upon  so  great  a  variety  of  individuals 
pervaded  by  psoric  miasm,  should  also  produce  various 
disorders,  lesions,  and  disturbances  of  health,  which  have 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  11 J 

hitherto  been  known  by  a  long  list  of  names  in  the  old 
works  on  pathology,  [7 2]  where  they  figure  as  distinct 
diseases. 

§  82.  Although  the  discovery  of  the  great  source  of 
chronic  diseases,  as  well  as  the  introduction  of  more  spe- 
cific homoeopathic  remedies,  for  psora  in  particular,  has 
advanced  the  healing  art  several  steps  in  its  ability  to 
cure  most  chronic  diseases ;  nevertheless  the  indispensa- 
ble obligation  of  the  homoeopathic  physician  to  carefully 
comprehend  every  discernible  symptom  and  peculiarity 
of  the  case,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an  indication  for 
each  chronic  disease,  remains  in  force  as  it  was  before 
the  discovery  of  psora.  Genuine  cures  of  these,  or  any 
Other  diseases,  are  not  to  be  accomplished  without  rigid, 
special  treatment  (individualization)  of  each  case;  but  in 
pursuing  the  investigation,  it  is  necessary  to  distinguish 
whether  the  disease  is  of  acute,  or  of  chronic  origin.  In  the 
first  instance  the  principal  symptoms  are  more  quickly 
perceived  and  recognized ;  the  whole  presents  itself  spon- 
taneously to  the  senses ;  and  much  less  time  is  consumed 
by  inquiry,  [7 3]  and  in  noting  the  characteristic  features 
(image)  of  the  case,  than  in  the  laborious  examination 
of  the  symptoms  of  chronic  diseases  that  have  gradually 
progressed  for  several  years. 

§  83.  Individualization  in  the  investigation  of  a  case 
of  disease,  demands,  on  the  part  of  the  physician,  princi- 
pally unbiassed  judgment  and  sound  senses,  attentive 
observation,  and  fidelity  in  noting  down  the  image  of 
the  disease.  For  this  purpose,  I  will  give  the  following 
general  directions,  which  may  serve  the  examining  phy- 
sician a,s  guides  in  each  given  case. 


112  ORGAXON   OF  THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

§  84.  The  patient  narrates  the  history  of  his  com- 
plaints; his  attendants  communicate  what  they  have 
heard  him  complain  of,  and  describe  his.  behavior,  and 
other  circumstances  they  have  observed.  The  physician 
observes '  by  means  of  sight,  hearing,  and  touch,  what  is 
changed  and  abnormal  about  the  patient,  and  writes 
down  everything  in  precisely  the  same  expressions  used 
by  the  patient  and  his  attendants.  He  quietly  allows 
them  to  finish  their  story,  if  possible  without  interrup- 
tion, unless  they  digress  upon  irrelevant  topics,  [74]  only 
requesting  them  at  the  outset  to  speak  slowly,  to  allow 
him  to  takes  notes  of  the  speaker's  words. 

§  85.  At  the  end  of  each  statement  of  the  patient  or 
attendants,  the  physician  should  begin  a  new  sentence  in 
writing,  so  that  the  symptoms  may  be  noted  separately, 
one  beneath  the  other.  This  will  permit  of  subsequent 
additions  to  statements  which  were  indefinite  at  first,  but 
afterwards  repeated  more  distinctly. 

§  86.  When  the  patient  and  attendants  have  ended 
their  statements  of  their  own  accord,  the  physician  sup- 
plies each  symptom  with  a  more  precise  definition,  to  be 
obtained  by  reading  over  the  single  symptoms  commu- 
nicated to  him,  and  here  and  there  instituting  particular 
inquiry ;  for  instance :  at  what  time  did  this  attack  oc- 
cur? Was  it  some  time  before  the  present  medicine? 
Was  it  during  its  use  ?  Or  was  it  some  days  after  dis- 
continuing the  medicine  ?  Describe  exactly  what  kind 
of  pain  or  sensation  occurred,  and  where  was  the  exact 
place  ?  Did  the  pain  come  in  single  paroxysms,  at  dif- 
ferent times  ?  Or  was  it  lasting  and  uninterrupted  ? 
How  long  did  it  last  ?  At  what  time  of  the  day  or  night, 
and  in  what  position  of  the  body  was  the  pain  most  vio- 


ORGANON  OP  THE  ART  OF  HEALING.         113 

lent;  or  altogether  absent?  In  this  manner  every  attack 
or  circumstance  alluded  to  by  the  patient,  should  be  made 
the  subject  of  careful  inquiry  and  description. 

§  87.  In  this  manner  the  physician  obtains  a  closer 
definition  of  each  statement,  without  predetermining [7 5] 
the  patient's  reply/  and  avoids  his  answer  by  simple 
"yes"  or  "no."  Otherwise x  the  patient  might  be  in- 
duced to  affirm  or  deny  facts,  to  state  only  partial  truths, 
or  to  represent  his  case  in  a  different  light  for  the  sake 
of  convenience ;  or  to  please  the  physician,  and  thus  to 
produce  a  false  impression  regarding  the  symptoms  of 
his  disease  which,  again,  would  lead  to  an  improper 
mode  of  treatment. 

§  88.  If,  in  these  voluntary  statements,  the  patient 
neglects  to  mention  the  condition  of  certain  parts  and 
functions  of  his  body,  or  of  his  state  of  mind,  the  phy- 
sician should  endeavor  to  refresh  the  patient's  memory 
concerning  his  observations  on  these  subjects. [7 6]  But 
the  inquiry  should  be  pursued  without  leading  questions, 
so  that  the  patient  or  attendant  may  be  obliged  to  make 
special  statements. 

§  89.  After  the  patient  (who  should  be  trusted  with 
regard  to  the  expression  of  his  feelings,  except  in  imag- 
inary diseases)  has  properly  completed  the  picture  of 
his  disease,  and  given  the  desired  information  by  vol- 
untary and  unbiassed  statements,  the  physician  (if  he 
considers  the  information  still  imperfect)  may  find  it 
necessary  to  ask  some  specific  questions.  [77] 

§  90.  After  having  taken  notes  of  the  patient's  state- 
ments, the  physician  should  proceed  to  make  a  memor- 


114  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING 

andum  of  what  he  has  himself  observed  upon  the  pa- 
tient, [7  8]  and  inquire  as  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  patient 
in  times  of  health. 

§  91.  Symptoms  and  sensations  experienced  by  the 
patient  during  some  previous  use  of  medicines,  do  not 
furnish  a  true  image  of  the  disease  ,~  those  symptoms  and 
complaints,  however,  suffered  by  the  patient  before  the 
use  of  medicines,  for  several  days,  or  after  their  omission, 
truthfully  portray  the  original  form  of  the  disease,  and 
should  be  particularly  noted  by  the  physician.  When 
the  disease  is  an  inveterate  one,  or  if  the  patient  has  per- 
sisted in  the  use  of  medicine  up  to  this  time,  he  may 
omit  the  same  entirely,  or  something  of  an  unmedicinal 
kind  may  be  given  him,  while  the  rigorous  examination 
of  the  case  is  postponed  until  the  unadulterated,  perma- 
nent symptoms  of  the  chronic  disorder  can  be  ascertained 
in  their  purity,  and  a  true  picture  of  the  disease  ob- 
tained. 

§  92.  But,  if  the  disease  is  very  acute,  the  urgent  na- 
ture of  which  suffers  no  delay,  and  if  the  physician 
finds  no  time  to  seek  information  concerning  the  symp- 
toms observed  before  medicines  had  been  resorted  to,  he 
may  have  to  accept  the  morbid  state  as  modified  by  drugs, 
and  to  embrace  it  in  one  record.  A  disease,  complicated 
by  the  effects  of  drugs  improperly  employed,  is  usually 
more  serious  and  dangerous  than  the  original  evil,  and, 
therefore,  urgently  demands  appropriate  measures  for  its 
relief;  these  are  found  in  carefully  selected  homoeo- 
pathic remedies,  which  are  able  to  overcome  the  compli- 
cated disease,  and  perhaps  to  avert  the  danger  caused  by 
the  drugs. 


ORGANON   OF   THE  ART  OF   HEALING.  115 

• 

§  93.  If  the  acute  or  chronic  disease  is  the  result  of 
some  unfortunate  incident  which  the  patient  hesitates  to 
disclose,  either  spontaneously  or  upon  careful  inquiry, 
his  friends,  if  privately  appealed  to,  will  usually  furnish 
the  desired  information.  [79] 

§  94.  The  investigation  of  the  condition  of  chronic 
diseases  should  be  conducted  with  particular  reference  to 
the  circumstances  of  the  patient ;  his  usual  occupation, 
habits  of  living,  his  diet,  his  domestic  relations,  etc., 
should  be  carefully  considered,  in  order  to  discover  to 
what  extent  errors  of  living  participated  in  the  produc- 
tion and  maintenance  of  the  disease,  and  what  will  be 
the  appropriate  means  of  their  ultimate  removal,  and  of 
the  restoration  of  health.  [80] 

§  95.  In  chronic  diseases,  the  investigation  of  the 
above-named,  and  all  other  symptoms,  should  be  con- 
ducted as  carefully  and  circumstantially  as  possible,  and 
made  to  penetrate  the  minutest  details,  because  they  are 
most  peculiar  and  most  unlike  those  of  acute  affections,  and 
also  because  they  can  never  be  too  accurately  considered 
for  the  purpose  of  successful  treatment.  Again,  chronic 
patients  are  so  inured  to  suffering,  that  circumstances, 
however  characteristic  and  decisive  in  the  selection  of  the 
remedy,  are  rarely,  if  at  all,  mentioned  by  them,  but 
rather  considered  as  a  part  of  their  unavoidable  condi- 
tion. Such  patients  forget  that  these  are  deviations 
from  health,  the  true  consciousness  of  which,  they  have 
nearly  lost  during  fifteen  or  twenty  years  of  suffering ; 
and  it  rarely  occurs  to  them,  that  these  secondary  symp- 
toms, and  other  small  or  great  deviations  from  the 
healthy  condition,  might  be  connected  with  the  main 
disease. 


116  ORGAUON    OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

• 

§  96.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  temperament 
of  patients  is  often  abnormally  affected ;  so  that  some, 
particularly  hypochondriacs,  and  other  sensitive  and  in- 
tolerant persons,  are  apt  to  represent  their  complaints  in 
too  strong  a  light,  and  to  define  them  by  exaggerated 
expressions,  [81]  hoping  thereby  to  induce  the  physician 
to  redouble  his  efforts. 

§  97.  But  there  are  persons  of  another  kind  of  tem- 
perament, who  withhold  many  complaints  from  the  phy- 
sician, partly  from  false  modesty,  timidity  or  bashful- 
ness  ;  and  who  state  their  case  in  obscure  terms ;  or  who 
consider  many  of  their  symptoms  as  too  insignificant  to 
mention. 

§  98.  Although  it  is  very  desirable  to  obtain  the  pa- 
tient's own  statement  regarding  his  complaints  and  sen- 
sations, and  to  observe  particularly  the  expressions  he 
uses  in  describing  his  sufferings,  the  history  of  which  is 
apt  to  be  more  or  less  misrepresented  by  friends  and  at- 
tendants, it  is  equally  true  that  the  investigation  of  all 
diseases,  especially  of  the  chronic,  demands  great  caution, 
reflection,  knowledge  of  human  nature,  careful  inquiry, 
and  unlimited  patience,  in  order  to  obtain  a  true  and  com- 
plete record  of  these  diseases  with  all  their  details. 

§  99.  On  the  whole,  the  physician  experiences  far  less 
difficulty  in  the  examination  of  acute  diseases,  or  those 
of  recent  origin,  because  every  new  and  striking  in- 
cident and  deviation  from  recent  health,  is  still  fresh 
in  the  memory  of  the  patient  and  his  -  attendants.  Al- 
though the  physician  should  be  well  acquainted  with  a 
case  like  this,  it  requires  a  less  urgent  inquiry,  since  the 
most  important  facts  are  readily  communicated  to  him. 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  117 

< 

§  100.  In  the  exploration  of  the  totality  of  symptoms 
of  epidemic  and  sporadic  diseases,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  im- 
portance whether  or  not  anything  of  a  similar  kind,  or 
name,  ever  occurred  before.  Neither  the  novelty,  nor 
peculiarity  of  such  an  epidemic  makes  any  difference  in. 
the  manner  of  its  examination  or  cure,  because,  under 
all  circumstances,  the  physician  should  presuppose  the 
true  image  of  any  prevalent  disease  to  be  new  and  un- 
known.; he  should,  therefore,  investigate  it  anew  and 
thoroughly  by  itself,  if  he  claims  to  be  a  master  of  the 
art  of  healing,  who  neither  allows  conjectures  to  stand 
in  the  place  of  actual  perceptions,  nor  ever  presumes  to 
know  the  particulars  of  a  case  of  disease  intrusted  to  him, 
without  previous  careful  inquiry  concerning  all  of  its 
manifestations.  This  is  particularly  applicable  to  every 
prevailing  epidemic,  which  is  in  many  respects  a  phe- 
nomenon of  peculiar  kind,  that  will  be  found,  on  careful 
examination,  to  differ  much  from  all  previous  epidemics 
to  which  specific  names  are  erroneously  applied;  except- 
ing, however,  the  epidemics  engendered  by  an  unvarying 
contagion,  such  as  small-pox,  measles,  etc. 

§  101.  It  is  possible  that  a  physician  meeting  with  the 
first  case  of  a  certain  epidemic,  should  fail  to  perceive  at 
once  its  perfect  image,  because  every  collective  disease  of 
this  kind  will  not  manifest  the  totality  of  its  symptoms 
and  character,  until  several  cases  have  been  carefully  ob- 
served. But  after  having  observed  one  or  two  cases  of 
this  kind,  a  physician  accustomed  to  exact  observation, 
may  approach  the  true  condition  of  the  epidemic  so 
closely,  that  he  is  enabled  to  construe  a  characteristic 
image  of  the  same,  and  even  to  discover  the  appropriate 
homoeopathic  remedy. 


118  ORGANON   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

§  102.  By  writing  down  the  symptoms  of  several  cases 
of  this  kind,  the  sketch  of  the  disease  will  gradually  be- 
come more  complete ;  without  being  enlarged  by  addi- 
tional phrases,  it  will  be  more  closely  denned  (more 
characteristic),  and  made  to  embrace  more  of  the  peculi- 
arity of  this  collective  disease.  General  signs,  such  as 
want  of  appetite,  sleeplessness,  etc.,  are  specified  and  de- 
fined, while  the  more  prominent  and  special  symptoms 
which  are  rare  in  this,  and  peculiar  only  to  a  few  dis- 
eases, will  be  made  conspicuous  by  proper  notation,  and 
will  constitute  the  characteristics  of  the  epidemic.  [82] 
The  individuals  who  suffer  from  a  prevalent  epidemic, 
are  apt  to  be  affected  alike,  because  each  case  arises  from 
the  same  source;  nevertheless,  neither  the  totality  and 
scope  of  such  an  epidemic,  nor  the  totality  of  its  symp- 
toms (the  knowledge  of  which  is  necessary  for  the  pur- 
pose of  obtaining  a  perfect  image  of  the  disease,  and  of 
selecting  the  suitable  homoeopathic  remedy  for  the  same) 
are  to  be  observed  upon  a  single  patient ;  such  knowl- 
edge is  only  to  be  obtained,  in  a  perfect  manner,  by  ob- 
servation of  the  affections  of  several  patients  of  different 
bodily  constitutions. 

§  103.  The  method  of  investigating  acute,  epidemic 
diseases,  was  also  employed  by  me  in  the  examination  of 
the  unvarying,  miasmatic,  chronic  diseases,  particularly 
in  the  study  of  psora.  These  diseases  required  much 
greater  care  and  diligence  than  had  hitherto  been  devoted 
to  them,  in  order  to  discover  the  whole  range  of  their 
symptoms.  In  these  cases,  also,  one  patient  presents  only 
a  portion  of  those  symptoms,  while  a  second  and  a  third, 
etc.,  exhibits  still  another  set,  which  constitutes,  as  it  were, 
but  a  detached  fragment  of  the  totality  of  symptoms  be- 
longing to  the  entire  chronic  disease.  A  complex  like 


ORGANON  OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  119 

1  his,  particularly  that  of  psora,  could  only  be  ascertained 
by  examining  a  great  many  chronic  cases.  Without  a 
complete  image  construed  out  of  the  totality  of  these 
symptoms,  it  would  be  impossible  to  discover  the  medi- 
cines (particularly  the  antipsorics)  for  the  homoeopathic 
cure  of  the  entire  disease;  but  having  done  so,  these  medi- 
cines prove  to  be  the  true  remedies  for  individual  casas 
of  chronic  evils  of  this  kind. 

§  104.  When  all  of  the  prominent  and  characteristic 
symptoms,  collectively  forming  an  image  of  a  case  of 
chronic,  or  of  any  other  disease,  have  been  carefully  com- 
mitted to  writing,  [83]  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  labor 
will  have  been  accomplished.  The  image  which  has  now 
been  .construed,  forms  the  basis  of  treatment,  particularly 
of  chronic  diseases.  This  image  is  always  accessible  to  the 
physician,  whom  it  enables  to  oversee  all  its  parts,  to  mark 
its  characteristic  signs  representing  the  disease,  and  to 
prescribe  a  homoeopathic  remedy ;  that  is,  one  which  in 
its  effects  on  healthy  persons,  produces  symptoms  strik- 
ingly similar  to  those  of  the  disease.  This  remedy  is 
found  by  comparing  the  lists  of  symptoms  of  all  reme- 
dies that  have  become  known  in  regard  to  their  purely 
pathogenetic  effects.  Upon  subsequent  inquiry  concern- 
ing the  effects  of  the  remedy,  and  the  changes  of  feelings 
it  has  produced  in  the  patient,  and  after  having  made  a 
new  record  of  the  case,  the  physician  will  only  have  to 
omit  from  his  diary  that  portion  of  the  original  group  of 
symptoms  which  has  been  improved,  and  to  note  what 
remains,  or  what  has  subsequently  appeared  in  the  form 
of  new  symptoms. 

§  105.  The  second  point  pertaining  to  the  duties  of  the 
true  physician  relates  to  the  discovery  of  the  material 


120  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

necessary  for  the  cure  of  natural  diseases;  that  is,  to  the 
investigation  of  the  morbific  power  of  drugs.  Having 
attained  this  object,  it  will  then  be  possible  to  select  a 
medicine  from  the  list  of  whose  symptoms  an  artificial 
disease  can  be  construed,  which  should  be  as  similar  as 
possible  to  the  principal  symptoms  of  the  natural  disease 
to  be  cured. 

§  106.  The  entire  range  of  disease-producing  power  of 
each  drug,  must  be  known ;  that  is,  all  morbid  symptoms 
and  changes  of  the  state  of  health  which  each  drug  is 
capable  of  producing  by  itself  in  healthy  persons,  should 
have  been  observed  in  its  fullest  extent,  before  we  may 
hope  to  find  and  to  select,  from  among  the  medicines  thus 
investigated,  the  truly  homoeopathic  remedies  for  most 
natural  diseases, 

§  107.  If,  for  the  purpose  of  investigation,  drugs  are 
given  only  to  sick  persons,  and  even  if  these  drugs  are 
administered  singly  and  in  simple  forms,  little  or  nothing 
of  a  definite  kind  will  be  seen  of  their  pure  effects,  because 
the  changes  of  health  which  these  drugs  may  actually  be 
expected  to  produce,  would  be  mingled  with  the  symp- 
toms of  the  natural  disease,  so  as  to  become  obscured,  and 
rarely  to  be  distinctly  visible. 

§  108.  Hence,  there  is  no  other  way  of  obtaining  re- 
liable knowledge  of  the  peculiar  power  by  virtue  of 
which,  drugs  affect  and  alter  human  health;  i.  e.,  there  is 
no  other  safe,  or  more  natural  method  of  accomplishing 
this  object,  than  to  administer  each  drug  separately,  and 
in  moderate  quantity,  to  healthy  persons,  by  way  of  exper- 
iment, in  order  to  discover  what  changes,  symptoms,  and 
signs  of  its  effect,  that  is,  what  elements  of  disease  each 


ORGANON  OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  121 

is  able  to  produce,  and  inclined  to  excite[84]  by  itself 
in  the  condition  of  the  body  and  mind.  For  it  has 
been  shown  (§§  24-27)  that  the  curative  power  of  medi- 
cines depends  alone  upon  their  power  of  altering  the 
state  of  health  of  the  human  organism,  and  that  this 
power  is  revealed  only  in  the  observations  made  upon  the 
latter. 

§  109.  I  was  the  first  to  pursue  this  course  with  per- 
severance, prompted  and  supported  by  perfect  conviction 
of  the  great  and  beneficent  truth,  that  human  diseases 
can  only  be  cured  with  certainty  [85]  by  means  of  the 
homoeopathic  administration  of  medicines. [86] 

§  110.  Next  to  this,  I  observed  that  the  morbific,  or 
toxical  properties  hitherto  mentioned  by  authors  as  the 
effects  of  medicinal  substances,  which  happened  by  mis- 
take, or  for  suicidal  or  criminal  purposes,  to  have  been 
consumed  in  large  quantities  by  healthy  persons,  coin- 
cided well  with  my  own  observations  while  experiment- 
ing with  the  same  substances  upon  myself  and  other 
healthy  persons.  Authors  generally  report  these  cases 
of  poisoning  as  proofs  of  the  injurious  effects  of  these 
powerful  substances,  and  as  a  warning  against  them. 
When  the  patient  happened  to  recover  from  the  effects 
of  drugs  under  the  use  of  antidotes,  some  quote  these 
cases  as  proofs  of  skill,  while  others  report  the  fatal 
effects  of  those  substances,  by  way  of  explaining  their 
want  of  success;  in  this  case,  those  substances  are  des- 
ignated as  poisons.  None  of  these  observers  suspected 
that  the  symptoms  reported  only  as  proofs  of  the  inju- 
rious and  poisonous  qualities  of  drugs,  distinctly  pointed 
to  their  medicinal  power  of  extinguishing  similar  symp- 
toms arising  from  natural  diseases.  None  ev  er  perceived 


122  ORGANON   OF  THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

that  the  disease-producing  power  of  drugs  could  be  made 
available  homoeopathically  in  the  cure  of  diseases.  None 
ever  discovered  that  the  only  possible  way  of  exploring 
the  medicinal  virtues  of  drugs  is  based  exclusively  upon 
the  observation  of  the  changes  produced  by  them  in  the 
healthy  body ;  because  the  actual  and  peculiar  curative 
powers  of  drugs  can  never  be  recognized  a  priori  through 
the  sophistry  of  wiseacres,  nor  through  odor,  taste,  and 
appearance  of  medicines;  neither  through  chemical  tests, 
nor  through  the  use  of  several  drugs,  combined  in  one 
mixture  (recipe),  administered  in  disease.  It  was  never 
suspected  that  such  reports  of  drug-diseases  would  in 
future  form  the  first  rudiments  of  a  true  and  pure  science 
of  Materia  Medica,  which  had  hitherto  consisted  merely 
of  false  suppositions  and  fiction,  and  which,  therefore, 
had  never  existed  in  reality.  [87] 

§  111.  The  agreement  of  my  own  observations  of  pure 
drug-effects  (although  made  without  regard  to  therapeu- 
tics), with  those  of  older  authors,  as  well  as  the  agree- 
ment of  the  observations  of  various  other  writers  among 
themselves,  will  easily  convince  us  that  medicinal  sub- 
stances, in  producing  morbid  changes  of  the  healthy 
human  body,  act  in  obedience  to  fixed  and  eternal  laws 
of  nature,  by  virtue  of  which  laws,  they  are  enabled  to 
generate  certain  definite  morbid  symptoms;  and  that 
each  drug  produces  particular  symptoms,  according  to 
its  peculiarity. 

§  112.  In  older  descriptions  of  the  fatal  effects  of 
overdoses  of  medicines,  it  is  often  to  be  noticed  that  the 
close  of  such  deplorable  accidents  was  marked  by  certain 
effects,  which  were  of  very  different  nature  from  those 
witnessed  at  the  beginning  of  the  case.  These  symptoms 


OEOANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  123 

which  are  called  forth  in  opposition  to  the  primary  effect 
(§  6e3),  or  actual  operation  of  drugs  upon  the  vital  force 
of  the  organism,  are  its  counter-effect,  or  after-effect 
(§§  62-67).  But  these  are  rarely  if  ever  perceived  after 
moderate  doses  administered  to  healthy  persons  for  the 
purpose  of  experiment ;  and  they  are  altogether  absent 
after  minute  doses.  During  the  homoeopathic,  cura- 
tive process,  the  living  organism  exhibits  only  that  de- 
gree of  counteraction  against  these  minute  doses,  which 
is  required  to  reestablish  the  natural  state  of  health 
«  67). 

§  113.  Only  narcotic  drugs  should  be  regarded  as  ex- 
ceptions to  this  rule.  As  these  destroy  sensibility  and 
sensation,  as  well  as  irritability,  in  their  primary  effect,  a 
heightened  state  both  of  sensibility  and  of  irritability  is 
frequently  observed  in  healthy  persons,  as  an  after-effect 
following  the  administration  of  narcotics,  even  in  mod- 
erate doses. 

§  114.  With  these  exceptions,  therefore,  experiments 
made  with  moderate  doses  of  other  drugs  upon  healthy 
persons,  exhibit  only  primary  effects ;  i.  e.,  those  symp- 
toms by  means  of  which  a  drug  affects  or  deranges  the 
healthy  state,  and  produces  in  the  organism  a  morbid 
condition  of  variable  duration. 

§  115.  Some  drugs  are  known  to  produce  certain  effects 
which,  in  regard  to  certain  minor  features,  appear  to  be 
the  counterparts  of  other  symptoms  that  may  have  ap- 
peared before,  as  well  as  after,  the  former.  But  notwith- 
standing this  difference,  these  contrary  symptoms  are  not 
to  be  regarded  as  actual  after-affects  or  counter-effects  of 
the  vital  force ;  because  they  merely  indicate  an  alterua- 


124  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

tion  or  fluctuation  (Wechselzustand)  of  the  various  stages 
of  the  primary  effect ;  on  which  account  they  are  called 
alternating  effects  (Wechselwirkungen). 

§  116.  Some  symptoms  are  frequently  produced  by 
drugs  in  many  healthy  persons  who  try  them ;  others 
are  produced  in  but  a  few ;  others,  again,  are  extremely 
rare. 

§  117.  The  so-called  idiosyncrasies  may  be  said  to  be- 
long to  the  latter  class.  This  term,  is  applied  to  peculiar 
constitutions  which,  though  otherwise  healthy,  are  in- 
clined to  be  more  or  less  morbidly  affected  by  certain 
things  which  appear  to  make  no  impression,  and  to  pro- 
duce no  change  in  many  other  individuals.  [88]  But 
this  want  of  susceptibility  is  only  apparent,  not  real.  In 
this,  as  well  as  in  the  production  of  all  other  morbific 
effects,  two  conditions  necessarily  exist :  first,  there  is  the 
active  power  residing  in  the  drug;  and  secondly,  the 
vital  force  of  the  organism  possesses  the  faculty  of  being 
affected  by  the  active  principle  of  the  drug.  Conse- 
quently, the  remarkable  diseases  arising  from  so-called 
idiosyncrasies,  cannot  be  attributed  alone  to  this  particu- 
lar kind  of  bodily  constitution ;  but  they  should  be  con- 
sidered as  due  also  to  the  effect  of  drugs  which  possess 
the  power  of  influencing  every  living  organism ;  but 
with  the  exception,  that  some  healthy  constitutions  are 
inclined  to  be  more  seriously  and  perceptibly  affected 
than  others.  The  fact  that  drugs  prove  to  be  homoeo- 
pathic, curative  remedies  [89]  in  all  cases  of  disease 
(although  only  seemingly  in  all  idiosyncrasies),  presenting 
symptoms  similar  to  those  which  the  drugs  are  capable 
of  producing,  tends  to  prove  that  they  actually  have  the 
power  of  affecting  all  persons. 


ORGAXON   OF  THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  125 

§  118  Each  drug  manifests  particular  effects  in  the 
human  body ;  and  no  other  drug  will  produce  effects  of 
exactly  the  same  kind. [90] 

* 

§  119.  There  is  no  doubt  that  every  species  of  plant 
differs  from  other  species  and  genus  in  exterior  form,  in 
the  peculiar  manner  of  life  and  growth,  in  taste  and 
odor;  nor  is  there  any  doubt  that  every  mineral,  and 
every  salt  differs  in  its  external  and  internal,  chemical 
and  physical  properties,  which  alone  should  have  pre- 
vented one  from  being  mistaken  for  the  other.  It  is, 
therefore,  equally  certain  that  all  of  them  differ,  and 
deviate  among  each  other  in  their  morbific  as  well  as  in 
their  healing  properties  ;[91]  and  that  each  of  these  sub- 
stances acts  in  a  manner  so  peculiar  and  distinct,  and 
produces  alternations  in  the  state  of  health  and  feelings 
of  man,  so  different  from  all  others,  as  to  prevent  them 
from  being  confounded. [92] 

§  120.  Medicines  should,  therefore,  be  distinguished 
from  each  other  with  scrupulous  accuracy,  and  proved 
by  pure  and  careful  experiments  with  regard  to  their 
powers,  and  true  effects  upon  the  healthy  body.  For, 
upon  the  accuracy  of  this  test  (proving),  depend  life  and 
death,  sickness  and  health  of  human  beings.  The  test 
should  be  so  conducted  as  to  result  in  the  acquisition  of 
accurate  knowledge  of  drugs,  as  well  as  to  avoid  every 
mistake  in  using  them  in  diseases;  for,  the  unerring 
selection  of  remedies  is  the  only  condition  for  the  speedy 
and  permanent  return  of  health  of  body  and  soul,  the 
highest  gift  bestowed  on  man. 

§'121.  In  proving  drugs  in  regard  to  their  effects 
upon  the  healthy  body,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the 


126  ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

strong,  so-called  heroic  substances,  even  in  small  doses, 
have  the  property  of  effecting  changes  in  the  health, 
even  of  robust  persons.  Those  of  milder  power  should 
be  given  in  considerable  doses  in  these  experiments;  and 
those  of  least  activity,  in  order  to  cause  their  effect  to 
become  perceptible,  should  be  tried  only  upon  healthy, 
but  sensitive  and  susceptible  persons. 

§  122.  As  the  success  of  the  art  of  healing,  and  the 
welfare  of  all  coming  generations,  depend  entirely  on 
these  experiments,  only  such  drugs  should  be  employed 
which  are  perfectly  reliable  in  regard  to  the  purity, 
genuineness,  and  full  strength. 

§  123.  Each  of  these  drugs  must  be  taken  into  the 
system  in  a  perfectly  simple,  and  unartificial  form.  The 
juice  pressed  out  of  indigenous  plants,  should  be  mixed 
with  a  little  alcohol,  to  prevent  its  deterioration ;  but  for- 
eign herbs  should  be  used  in  the  form  of  powder,  or 
freshly  prepared  alcoholic  tincture,  mixed  with  several 
parts  of  water.  Salts  and  gums,  however,  should  be 
dissolved  in  water  before  administration.  If  a  plant  is 
to  be  obtained  only  in  the  dried  state,  and  if  its  powers 
are  naturally  weak,  the  experiment  may  be  made  with 
the  infusion,  prepared  by  pouring  boiling  water  over  the 
herb  previously  powdered,  whereby  its  virtues  are  ex- 
tracted. Such  infusions  should  be  drank  immediately 
after  their  preparation  while  warm,  because  all  expressed 
juices,  and  watery  infusions  of  plants,  will  rapidly  pass 
into  fermentation  and  deterioration  without  the  addition 
of  spirits,  and  will  then  lose  their  medicinal  properties. 

§  124.  For  these  purposes,  every  medicinal  substance 
should  be  employed  entirely  alone,  and  in  a  perfectly 


ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF   HEALING.  127 

pare  state,  without  the  admixture  of  any  other  substance ; 
and  the  experimenter  (prover)  should  not  partake  of 
any  other  medicinal  substance  on  the  same  day.  The 
same  caution  is  to  be  observed  for  as  many  days  as  the 
observation  of  the  effects  of  the  drug  requires. 

§  125.  During  the  time  devoted  to  the  experiment, 
the  diet  should  be  very  moderate,  as  free  as  possible  from 
spices,  and  of  a  simple  nutritious  kind.  Thus,  it  is  ad- 
visable to  avoid  all  green  vegetables,  [93]  roots,  and  all 
kinds  of  salad  and  pot-herbs,  all  of  which  retain  some 
disturbing  medicinal  properties,  even  if  most  carefully 
prepared.  Common  beverages,  not  of  a  stimulating 
kind,  [94]  should  be  used. 

§  126.  During  the  observation  of  the  effect  of  drugs, 
the  experimenter  must  avoid  mental  and  bodily  exertions, 
and  particularly  the  disturbances  that  would  result  from 
the  excitement  of  sensual  excesses.  Nor  should  experi- 
menters be  interrupted  in  their  observations,  by  urgent 
business  affairs  which  prevent  them  from  paying  close 
attention  to  themselves,  through  fear  of  disturbance; 
and,  besides  being  to  all  intents  and  purposes  of  sound 
health,  they  should  possess  the  requisite  degree  of  intel- 
ligence, to  enable  them  to  define,  and  to  describe  their 
sensations  in  distinct  expressions. 

§  127.  Drugs  should  be  proved  by  males  as  well  as 
by  females,  in  order  to  discover  what  effect  is  produced 
with  regard  to  the  sex. 

§  128.  The  most  recent  experiments  have  taught  that 
crude  medicinal  substances,  if  taken  by  an  experimenter 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  their  peculiar  effects,  will 


128  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

not  disclose  the  same  wealth  of  latent  powers,  as  when 
they  are  taken  in  a  highly  attenuated  state,  potentiated 
by  means  of  trituration  and  succussion.  Through  this 
simple  process  the  powers  hidden  and  dormant,  as  it 
were,  in  the  crude  drug,  are  developed,  and  called  into 
activity  in  an  incredible  degree.  In  this  way,  the  me- 
dicinal powers,  even  of  substances  hitherto  considered  as 
inert,  are  most  effectually  developed  by  administering  to 
the  experimenter  daily  from  four  to  six  of  the  finest 
pellets  of  the  thirtieth  potentiated  attenuation  of  one  of 
these  substances ;  the  pellets  having  been  previously 
moistened  with  a  little  water,  should  be  ta-ken  on  an 
empty  stomach  for  several  days. 

§  129.  If  only  slight  effects  appear  after  a  dose  of  this 
kind,  and  if  it  is  desirable  to  render  these  effects  stronger 
and  more  distinct,  several  additional  pellets  may  be  taken 
daily,  until  the  effects  upon  the  health  of  the  prover  be- 
come perceptible.  A  drug  does  not  exert  equal  strength 
upon  all  persons,  and  a  great  difference  is  observable  in 
this  respect;  for  instance,  a  moderate  dose  of  a  drug, 
known  to  be  very  powerful,  may  sometimes  produce  but 
a  very  slight  effect  upon  an  apparently  delicate  person, 
while  the  same  individual  is  affected  quite  perceptibly  by 
other,  much  less  powerful  drugs.  Again,  there  are  very 
robust  persons  who  perceive  very  marked  symptoms  from 
an  apparently  mild  drug,  but  very  slight  symptoms  from 
a  stronger  one.  As  this  is  not  to  be  predetermined,  it  is 
advisable,  that  each  person  should  begin  with 'a  small  dose 
of  medicine,  gradually  to  be  increased  day  by  day  where 
such  a  course  appears  proper  and  desirable. 

§  130.  By  giving  a  sufficiently  strong  dose  in  the  be- 
ginning of  an  experiment,  we  gain  the  advantage  of  ex- 


ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALING.  129 

hibiting  to  the  experimenter  the  exact,  consecutive  order 
in  which  the  symptoms  appear,  and  of  allowing  the  ob- 
server to  note  the  time  at  which  each  one  appeared.  This 
method  proves  to  be  very  instructive  with  regard  to  the 
character  (genius)  of  the  drug,  since  it  shows  most  dis- 
tinctly the  order  in  which  primary  and  secondary  effects 
appear.  A  moderate  dose  frequently  suffices  for  the  ex- 
periment, provided  the  experimenter  is  sufficiently,  sensi-  . 
tive,  and  pays  proper  attention  to  the  state  of  his  feel- 
ings. The  duration  of  the  effect  of  a  drug  is  determined 
only  after  comparison  of  a  number  of  experiments. 

§  131.  But  if,  in  trying  to  obtain  even  a  slight  effect, 
it  becomes  necessary  to  administer  increased  doses  of  some 
drug  to  a  person  for  several  days  in  succession,  we  may 
discover  the  various  morbid  conditions  which  this  drug 
is  capable  of  producing  in  general;  but  we  will  not  learn 
the  consecutive  order  of  their  appearance,  and  besides,  a 
second  dose,  by  its  curative  effect,  will  often  remove  some 
of  the  symptoms  resulting  from  the  previous  dose;  or  a 
second  dose  may  produce  the  opposite  condition  from  that 
of  the  first.  Too  frequent  a  repetition  of  the  dose  pro- 
duces ambiguous  symptoms  which  should  be  marked  as 
unreliable  by  inclosing  them  in  brackets,  until  other,  more 
exact  (purer)  experiments  shall  have  proved  them  to  be 
either  effect  and  after-effect  of  the  organism,  or  alternat- 
ing effect  of  the  drug. 

§  132.  But  if  it  is  our  purpose  to  observe  a  drug  of 
moderate  strength,  with  regard  to  its  symptoms  alone, 
without  reference  to  the  consecutive  order  or  duration  of 
ihe  drug-effect,  it  is  preferable  to  proceed  by  adminis- 
tering an  increased  dose  for  several  successive  days.  In 
this  manner,  the  effect  of  every  drug,  though  very  mild, 

9 


130  ORGANO.V   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

and  previously  unknown,  will  be  disclosed,  particularly 
if  it  is  tested  by  sensitive  persons. 

§  133.  When  some  of  the  drug-symptoms  begin  to  ap- 
pear, it  is  useful  and  desirable,  in  order  to  determine  the 
symptom  accurately,  that  the  experimenter  assumes 
various  postures,  in  order  to  observe  if  the  sensation  is 
increased,  lessened,  or  made  to  vanish  by  motion  of  the 
affected  part;  by  walking  in  the  room,  or  in  the  open  air; 
bv  standing,  sitting,  or  lying;  or  whether  it  returns  when 
he  assumes  the  original  position.  He  should  also  ob- 
serve if  the  symptom  is  changed  by  eating,  drinking, 
talking,  coughing,  sneezing,  or  some  other  bodily  func- 
tion. Particular  notice  should  also  be  taken  of  the  time 
of  the  day  or  night  at  which  each  symptom  usually  ap- 
pears, in  order  to  discover  its  peculiarities  and  character- 
istics. 

§  134.  All  noxious  agents,  and  especially  drugs,  pos- 
sess the  property  of  producing  a  particular  kind  of 
change  in  the  health  of  the  living  organism.  But  not 
every  symptom  peculiar  to  one  drug,  appears  in  the  same 
person ;  neither  do  all  become  manifest  at  once,  nor  dur- 
ing a  single  experiment.  A  prover  first  experiences 
certain  symptoms,  and  others  during  a  second,  and  a  third 
trial.  Other  persons  may  perceive  certain  symptoms  of 
another  kind;  while  perhaps  the  fourth,  eighth,  or  tenth 
experimenter  experiences  several,  or  many  of  the  same 
symptoms  which  had  already  been  perceived  by  the 
second,  sixth,  or  ninth  person ;  neither  do  these  symp- 
toms appear  at  the  same  hour. 

§  135.  The  totality  of  all  the  elements  of  disease  which 
a  drug  is  capable  of  producing,  is  brought  near  perfec- 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  131 

tion  only  by  manifold  experiments,  instituted  by  a  select 
variety  of  individuals  of  both  sexes.  We  should  not  con- 
sider the  proving  of  a  drug  as  complete,  with  regard  to 
the  morbid  conditions  it  is  capable  of  exciting  by  means 
of  its  peculiar  (pure)  powers  of  changing  the  state  of 
health,  until  all  provers,  after  repeated  trials,  cease  to 
perceive  new  symptoms  from  the  drug,  and  until  they 
begin  to  observe,  upon  themselves,  mostly  symptoms  like 
those  already  experienced  by  others. 

§  136.  (As  above  stated,  no  drug  can  produce  every 
variety  of  symptoms  while  being  proved  upon  a  single, 
healthy  person ;  it  will  exhibit  this  variety  only  when 
tested  upon  many  different  persons  of  various  bodily  and 
mental  constitutions.  Nevertheless,  the  drug  possesses 
the  inclination  (tendency)  to  excite  all  of  these  symptoms 
in  every  person  (§  110).  This  is  founded  on  an  immu- 
table law  of  nature,  in  obedience  to  which,  the  drug  brings 
into  play  all  its  effects,  even  those  rarely  produced  in  the 
healthy,  whenever  it  is  administered  to  a  person  suffer- 
ing from  a  similar  morbid  condition.  When  homceo- 
pathically  selected,  and  prescribed  even  in  the  mildest 
dose,  it  will  imperceptibly  create  in  the  patient  an  arti- 
ficial condition,  bearing  a  very  close  resemblance  to  that 
of  the  natural  disease,  and  will  speedily  and  permanently 
cure  the  sufferer  of  his  original  complaints.) 

§  137.  Within  certain  limits  of  quantity,  the  smaller 
the  doses  are  of  the  drug  selected  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
periment, so  much -the  more  distinctly  will  the  primary 
effects  appear  which  we  are  most  desirous  to  ascertain. 
They  will  appear  alone,  and  without  after-  or  counter- 
effects  of  the  vital  force,  provided  that  observation  is  fa- 
cilitated by  choosing  provers  of  truthful,  temperate  habits, 


132  ORGA_NOX   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

of  fine  powers  of  perception,  and  capable  of  directing 
close  attention  to  themselves.  Excessive  doses,  on  the 
other  hand,  cause  the  result  to  be  disturbed  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  various  after-effects  among  the  symptoms, 
because  the  primary  effects  are  confused  by  the  haste  and 
violence  of  the  action  of  the  dose,  which,  besides  prevent- 
ing accurate  observation  of  the  effect,  causes  a  certain  de- 
gree of  danger  to  the  prover ;  this  is  not  considered  as  a 
matter  of  indifference  by  him  who  respects  the  welfare  of 
his  fellow-men,  and  who  esteems  as  his  brother  the  hum- 
blest of  men. 

§  138.  Supposing  the  above  condition,  necessary  to  in- 
sure the  success  and  reliability  of  an  experiment,  to  have 
been  complied  with  (see  §§  124-127),  every  symptom,  and 
deviation  from  the  normal  state  of  health,  observed  by 
the  prover  while  under  the  influence  of  the  drug,  is  de- 
rived only  from  the  latter,  and  must  be  regarded  and 
noted  as  a  symptom  properly  belonging  to  it,  notwith- 
standing the  prover  may  have  observed  similar  and  spon- 
taneous sensations  upon  himself,  some  time  ago.  The  re- 
appearance of  the  same  kind  of  sensations  during  the 
proving  of  a  drug,  shows  the  prover  to  be  particularly 
susceptible  to  the  influence  of  drugs,  owing  to  his  peculiar 
bodily  constitution.  In  the  present  instance,  the  effect 
should  be  ascribed  to  the  drug;  for  symptoms  do  not  come 
of  themselves;  but  they  are  due  to  the  active  drug  which 
has  been  administered,  and  which  controls  the  state  of 
feeling  of  the  entire  organism. 

§  139.  If  the  physician  has  not  taken  the  drug  him- 
self for  the  purpose  of  experiment,  but  has  administered 
it  to  another  person,  the  latter  should  distinctly  write 
down  every  sensation  and  change  of  feeling  which  he 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  133 

experiences  at  the  time  of  its  occurrence.  The  time 
which  had  elapsed  between  the  taking  of  the  drug,  and 
the  appearance  of  the  symptom,  should  also  be  noted,  as 
well  as  the  duration  of  the  latter,  if  it  is  found  possible  to 
do  so.  The  physician  should  examine  the  report  imme- 
diately after  the  termination  of  the  experiment;  or,  if 
this  had  been  extended  over  several  days,  the  report 
should  be  examined  daily  in  the  presence  of  the  prover, 
who  should  be  questioned  about  the  exact  form  of  every 
symptom  while  it  is  yet  fresh  in  his  memory ;  whereupon 
the  information  thus  obtained  concerning  particulars,  is 
added  to  the  report,  or  this  may  be  altered  according  to 
subsequent  statements.  [95] 

§  140.  If  the  prover  is  not  skilled  in  writing,  the  phy- 
sician should  inquire  every  day  concerning  the  nature  of 
symptoms,  and  the  manner  of  their  appearance,  in  re- 
gard to  which  he  should  obtain,  as  far  as  possible,  the 
voluntary  statement  of  the  person  employed  in  the  ex- 
periment. Whatever  is  noted  in  writing  as  an  actual 
fact,  should  not  consist  of  guesswork,  suppositions,  or  of 
extorted  statements.  This  precaution  should  be  strictly 
observed  in  every  case,  as  I  have  explained  above  (§§ 
84—99),  while  speaking  of  the  manner  of  exploring 
natural  diseases,  and  of  the  precautions  to  be  taken  in 
delineating  their  true  image. 

§  141.  The  most  desirable  provings  are  those  which 
the  healthy,  unprejudiced  physician  of  fine  perception, 
has  made  upon  himself,  for  the  purpose  of  discovering 
the  genuine  effects  which  simple  drugs  may  produce  in 
the  form  of  changes  of  feeling,  artificial  morbid  condi- 
tions, and  symptoms ;  and  when  the  physician  himself 
carefully  takes  every  precaution  heretofore  pointed  out, 


134  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

he  will  be  quite  sure  of  what  he  has  observed  upon  hi  in- 
self.  [96] 

§  142.  Among  the  symptoms,  especially  of  chronic 
diseases,  varying  little  in  form,  it  is  sometimes  possible 
to  distinguish  certain  symptoms [97]  resulting  from  a 
simple  drug  administered  for  curative  purposes.  But 
this  is  a  matter  attended  with  great  difficulty  and  un- 
certainty, and  should  be  left  only  to  experts  in  the  art'  of 
observing. 

§  143.  After  a  considerable  number  of  simple  drugs 
has  been  tested  in  this  manner  by  healthy  provers,  and 
after  every  element,  or  symptom  of  disease  which  these 
drugs  (as  artificial  morbific  agents)  are  by  themselves 
capable  of  producing,  have  been  carefully  and  faithfully 
recorded,  we  shall  then  possess  a  true  Materia  Medica. 
It  will  consist  of  a  collection  of  genuine,  pure,  and  un- 
deceptive[98]  effects  of  simple  drugs;  and  will  be  a  code 
of  nature,  containing  complete  records  of  the  particular 
effects  upon  health,  and  the  symptoms  of  every  active 
drug  that  has  been  tested,  just  as  they  were  perceived  by 
the  attentive  observer.  These  records  will  contain,  and 
represent  in  similitude  the  (homosopathic)  elements  of 
numerous,  natural  diseases  hereafter  to  be  cured  by  these 
means.  In  other  words,  these  records  will  contain  lists 
of  symptoms  of  artificial  diseases ;  and  these  afford  the 
only  true  homoeopathic,  or  specific  means  for  the  certain 
and  permanent  cure  of  similar,  natural  diseases.  . 

§  144.  A  Materia  Medica  of  that  kind  should  exclude 
every  supposition,  every  mere  assertion  and  fiction ;  its 
entire  contents  should  be  the  pure  language  of  nature, 
uttered  in  response  to  careful  and  faithful  inquiry. 


ORGAXON   OP   THE    ART    OF    HEALING.  135 

§  145.  It  is  requisite,  however,  that  we  should  have 
a  large  supply  of  drugs,  accurately  known  with  regard 
to  theii  effects  upon  the  health  of  the  human  system,  in 
order  to  enable  us  to  find [99]  a  homoeopathic  remedy,  i.  e., 
a  suitable  analogue,  in  the  form  of  an  artificial  morbific 
(curative)  agent  for  each  of  the  countless,  morbid  condi- 
tions in  nature, — for  every  disease  in  the  world.  Bat 
owing  to  the  reliability  and  wealth  of  symptoms,  or  dis- 
ease-elements which  have  already  been  disclosed  by  ob- 
servation of  the  effects  of  active,  medicinal  substances 
upon  healthy  persons,  there  remain  but  few  diseases  for 
which  suitable  homoeopathic  remedies  might  not  be  found 
among  the  drugs  already  tested  for  their  pure  effects.  [100] 
By  means  of  such  a  remedy,  health  will  be  restored  gently, 
surely,  and  permanently,  and  with  far  greater  certainty 
and  safety  than  by  the  general  and  special  therapeutics 
of  the  allopathic  school,  with  its  compounds  of  unknown 
medicines.  These  only  alter  and  aggravate  chronic  dis- 
eases without  curing  them,  and  retard  more  than  they 
accelerate  the  recovery  from  acute  diseases. 

§  146.  Next  to  testing  drugs  for  their  actual  effects  on 
healthy  persons,  the  third  portion  of  the  duty  of.  a  true 
physician  relates  to  the  homoeopathic  application  of  these 
artificial,  morbific  potencies  (medicines) ,  for  the  purpose 
of  curing  natural  diseases, 

§  147.  A  drug,  completely  tested  with  regard  to  its 
power  of  altering  human  health,  and  whose  symptoms 
present  the  greatest  degree  of  similitude  with  the  totality 
of  symptoms  of  a  given  natural  disease,  will  be  the  most 
suitable  and  reliable  homoeopathic  remedy  for  that  dis- 
ease, for  which  the  specific,  curative  agent  will  have  been 
discovered. 


136  ORGAXOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

§  148.  A  medicine  possessing  the  power  and  inclina- 
tion to  produce  similar  symptoms,  or  an  artificial  disease 
most  similar  to  the  natural  disease  to  be  cured,  exerts  its 
dynamic  influence  upon  the  morbidly  disturbed  vital 
force;  and  if  it  is  administered  in  well-proportioned  dose, 
it  will  affect  those  parts  of  the  organism  where  the  nat- 
ural disease  is  located,  and  will  excite  in  them  an  arti- 
ficial disease ;  this,  by  virtue  of  its  great  similitude  and 
increased  intensity,  will  now  occupy  the  place  hitherto 
held  by  the  natural  morbid  process.  Thereupon  the  in- 
stinctive and  automatic  vital  power  is  liberated  from  the 
natural  disease,  and  is  occupied  alone  with  the  stronger 
and  similar  drug  disease.  But  owing  to  the  minuteness 
of  the  dose,  this  drug  affection  is  sufficiently  tractable  to 
allow  itself  to  be  overcome  by  the  increased  energy  of 
the  vital  force,  and  will,  therefore,  soon  vanish,  leaving 
the  body  free  from  disease  and  permanently  healthy. 

§  149.  If  the  suitable  homoeopathic  drug  is  properly 
.selected  [101]  and  applied  in  this  way,  a  natural,  acute 
disease  of  recent  origin,  even  if  severe  and  painful,  will 
gently  vanish  in  a  few  hours ;  an  affection  of  somewhat 
older  date  will  disappear  in  a  few  days  with  every  trace 
of  discomfort,  while  little  or  no  effect  of  the  drug  will  be 
perceived,  and  recovery  progresses  in  rapid,  though  im- 
perceptible stages  to  the  full  restoration  of  health.  Old, 
and  particularly  complicated  diseases  demand  a  greater 
proportion  of  time  to  be  cured.  Chronic  drug  diseases, 
in  particular,  often  complicated  in  the  course  of  allopathic 
treatment  with  an  uncured  natural  disease,  yield  only 
after  great  length  of  time,  if  they  have  not  become  quite 
incurable,  owing  to  the  wanton  waste  of  strength  and 
substance  of  the  patient ;  a  result  very  often  to  be  met 
with  after  old-school  treatment. 


ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF   HEALING,         .  137 

§  150.  Whenever  a  patient  complains  of  only  a  lew 
insignificant  symptoms  of  very  recent  origin,  the  physi- 
cian is  not  to  regard  them  as  a  disease  requiring  serioua 
medical  aid.  A  slight  change  of  diet,  and  habits  of 
living,  generally  suffices  to  remove  so  slight  an  indis- 
position. 

§  151.  But  if  the  symptoms  complained  of  are  very 
severe,  though  few  in  number,  the  physician  will,  on 
further  inquiry,  generally  discover  several  collateral 
symptoms  of  less  severity,  which  will  serve  to  complete 
the  picture  of  the  disease. 

§  152.  If  an  acute  disease  is  very  severe,  the  symptoms 
of  which  it  is  composed,  will  be  so  much  the  more  con- 
spicuous and  numerous,  and  will  increase  the  certainty  of 
discovering  the  suitable  remedy,  provided  we  possess  a 
sufficient  number  of  medicines  whose  positive  effects  are 
well  determined  and  recorded.  From  complete  catalogues 
of  this  kind,  it  is  not  difficult  to  select  a  remedy  out  of 
the  individual  symptoms  of  which,  we  may  construe  the 
antitype  (Gegenbild)  in  the  form  of  a  curative,  artificial 
disease,  very  similar  to  the  totality  of  symptoms  of  the 
natural  disease ;  and  the  medicine  exhibiting  these  symp- 
toms, is  the  remedy  we  were  in  need  of. 

§  153.  This  search  for  a  homoeopathic,  specific  remedy, 
consists  in  the  comparison  of  the  totality  of  the  symp- 
toms of  the  natural  disease  with  the  lists  of  symptoms  of 
our  tested  drugs,  among  which  a  morbific  potency  is  to 
be  found,  corresponding  in  similitude  with  the  disease  to 
be  cured.  In  making  this  comparison,  the  more  promi- 
nent, uncommon,  and  peculiar  (characteristic)  features  of 
the  case[102]  are  especially,  and  almost  exclusively  con- 


138  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

sidered  and  noted;  for  these,  in  particular,  should  bear  the 
closest  similitude  to  the  symptoms  of  the  desired  medicine, 
if  that  is  to  accomplish  the  cure.  The  more  general  and 
indefinite  symptoms,  such  as  want  of  appetite,  headache, 
weakness,  restless  sleep,  distress,  etc.,  unless  more  clearly 
defined,  deserve  but  little  notice  on  account  of  their 
vagueness,  and  also  because  generalities  of  this  kind  are 
common  to  every  disease,  and  to  almost  every  drug. 

§  154.  Now,  if  the  antitype,  construed  out  of  the  symp- 
toms of  the  most  suitable  medicine,  consists  of  prominent, 
uncommon,  and  characteristic  symptoms,  equal  in  num- 
ber and  similitude  to  the  disease  to  be  cured,  this  medi- 
cine will  prove  to  be  the  most  homoeopathic  and  specific 
remedy  for  the  case.  A  disease  of  recent  date  will  usu- 
ally be  cancelled  and  extinguished,  without  additional 
discomfort,  by  the  first  dose  of  the  remedy. 

§  155.  I  say,  without  additional  discomfort.  For,  dur- 
ing the  action  of  a  homoeopathic  medicine,  only  those  of 
its  symptoms  which  correspond  to  those  of  the  disease,  are 
in  active  operation;  the  former  occupy  the  place  of  the 
weaker  symptoms  of  the  disease ;  these  are  thereby  ex- 
tinguished; while  the  numerous,  remaining  symptoms 
of  the  homoeopathic  medicine  have  no  affinity  to  the 
case,  and  therefore  remain  entirely  quiescent.  Scarcely 
anything  is  perceived  of  them  during  the  gradual  prog- 
ress of  improvement,  because  the  minute  dose,  required  in 
homoeopathic  practice,  is  much  too  weak  to  allow  the  non- 
homoeopathic  portion  of  its  symptoms  visibly  to  affect  the 
^ound  parts  of  the  body ;  therefore  only  the  homoeopathic 
symptoms  are  permitted  to  operate  upon  the  parts  of  the 
organism  which  are  most  decidedly  under  the  influence 
of  the  disease,  and  in  this  way  the  diseased  vital  force  is 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  139 

altered  by  the  stronger  drug  disease  in  such  a  manner, 
that  the  original  disease  is  extinguished.* 

§  156.  There  is,  however,  scarcely  a  homoeopathic 
remedy  which,  though  well  selected,  if  not  sufficiently 
reduced  in  its  dose,  might  not  call  forth  at  least  one  un- 
usual sensation,  or  slight  new  symptom  during  its  opera- 
tion on  very  susceptible  and  sensitive  patients ;  for  it  is 
almost  impossible  that  medicine  and  disease  should  pos- 
sess the  same  congruity  as  two  triangles  of  like  angles 
and  sides.  But  this  insignificant  difference  is  easily 
erased  by  the  active  energy  of  the  living  organism,  and 
is  not  even  perceived  by  patients  of  ordinary  sensibility. 
Convalescence  will,  nevertheless,  progress  to  final  recov- 
ery, provided  it  is  not  interrupted  by  extraneous  medici- 
nal influences,  dietetic  excesses,  or  excitement. 

§  157.  Although  a  homoeopathically  selected  remedy, 
by  virtue  of  its  fitness  and  minuteness  of  dose,  quietly 
cancels  or  extinguishes  an  analogous  disease,  without 
manifesting  any  of  its  unhomoeopathic  symptoms ;  that 
is  to  say,  without  exciting  additional,  perceptible  sensa- 
tions, it  will,  nevertheless,  as  a  rule  (or  in  the  course  of  a 
few  hours)  produce  a  slight  aggravation  resembling  the 
original  disease  so  closely,  that  the  patient  actually  con- 
siders it  as  such.  Aggravation  caused  by  larger  doses 
may  last  for  several  hours,  but  in  reality  these  are  only 
drug-effects  somewhat  superior  in  intensity,  and  very 
similar  to  the  original  disease. 

*  As  the  words  "  stronger  drug  disease,"  implying  a  curative  power,  ap- 
pear somewhat  paradoxical,  the  closing  sentence  of  this  paragraph  would  be 
more  intelligibly  rendered  thus  :  ....  In  this  way  the  disturbed  vital  force 
is  reinforced  by  the  drug-effect  to  such  an  extent  that  the  original  disease  is 
extinguished. — TRANSLATOR. 


140  ORQANON   OF   THE   ART   OP   HEALING. 

§  158.  This  slight  homoeopathic  aggravation  during 
the  first  hours,  is  quite  in  order,  and  in  case  of  an  acute 
disease,  generally  serves  as  an  excellent  indication  that 
it  will  yield  to  the  first  dose.  The  drug-disease  must 
naturally  be  somewhat  more  intense  in  order  to  overcome 
and  extinguish  the  natural  diseases ;  as  it  is  only  by  su- 
perior intensity  that  one  natural  disease  can  extinguish 
another  of  similar  nature  (§§  43-48). 

§  159.  The  smaller  the  dose  of  the  homoeopathic 
remedy,  so  much  the  smaller  and  shorter  is  the  apparent 
aggravation  of  the  disease  during  the  first  hours. 

§  160.  The  dose  of  a  homoeopathic  remedy  can  scarce- 
ly be  reduced  to  such  a  degree  of  minuteness  as  to  make  it 
powerless  to  overcome,  and  to  completely  cure  an  analo- 
gous, natural  disease  of  recent  origin,  and  undisturbed  by 
injudicious  treatment  (§  249,  remark).  We  may,  there- 
fore, readily  understand  why  a  less  minute  dose  of  a  suit- 
able homoeopathic  medicine,  an  hour  after  its  exhibition, 
may  produce  an  appreciable,  homoeopathic  aggravation 
of  this  kind.  [103] 

§  161.  In  stating  that  the  so-called  homoeopathic  ag- 
gravation (or,  more  properly  speaking,  the  primary  effect 
of  the  homoeopathic  remedy,  which  seemingly  intensifies 
the  symptoms  of  the  original  disease)  is  liable  to  occur 
in  the  first  hours,  this  is  to  be  understood  as  referring  to 
acute  diseases  of  recent  origin  ;[104]  but  whenever  medi- 
cines of  protracted  effect,  are  prescribed  in  diseases  of 
long  standing,  where  one  dose  must  necessarily  extend 
its  operation  over  many  days,  such  primary  drug-effects, 
'resembling  an  intensification  of  symptoms  of  the  original 
disease  (lasting  an  hour  or  more),  will  be  seen  occasion- 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  141 

ally  in  the  course  of  six,  eight,  or  ten  days,  while  a  gen- 
eral improvement  becomes  visible  in  the  intervening 
hours.  After  the  days  of  aggravation  have  passed,  the 
convalescence,  induced  by  these  primary  drug-effects, 
will  progress  almost  uninterruptedly  for  several  days. 

§  162.  As  long  as  we  have  at  our  disposal  only  a 
limited  number  of  drugs  whose  actual  effects  are  wholly 
known,  it  sometimes  occurs  that  only  a  portion  of  the 
symptoms  of  the  disease  we  wish  to  cure,  corresponds 
with  those  of  the  medicine  selected  as  the  most  similar 
one ;  we  may,  therefore,  be  obliged  to  resort  to  a  less 
perfect  curative  agent,  for  want  of  a  better  one. 

§  163.  In  this  case,  a  perfect  and  easy  cure  cannot  be 
expected  to  result  from  the  medicine;  because  disturb- 
ances will  be  observed  to  follow  its  use,  which  were  not 
previously  encountered  in  the  disease ;  these  disturbances 
should  be  regarded  as  accessory  symptoms  of  the  medi- 
cine, imperfectly  adapted  to  the  case.  But  these  will  not 
prevent  the  medicine  from  obliterating  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  disease  (i.  e.,  of  those  disease-symptoms 
which  are  similar  to  the  drug-symptoms) ,  thereby  making 
a  fair  beginning  in  convalescence ;  still  this  will  not  pro- 
ceed without  accessory  effects,  which,  however,  are  always 
moderate,  if  the  dose  is  sufficiently  attenuated. 

§  164.  The  cure,  however,  will  not  be  essentially  re- 
tarded by  the  scarcity  of  similar  drug-symptoms,  pro- 
vided the  remedy  is  carefully  selected,  and  the  symptoms 
which  determine  Us  choice  are  mostly  peculiar  to  the 
remedy,  and  of  marked  similitude  (characteristic)  to  those 
of  the  disease;  in  which  case,  the  cure  will  result  without 
particular  inconvenience. 


142  ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

§  165.  But  if  the  case  presents  no  marked  and  pecu- 
liar symptoms  of  accurate  similitude  to  those  of  a  chosen 
remedy ;  and  if  the  latter  corresponds  to  the  disease 
merely  in  regard  to  its  general  and  vaguely  denned 
symptoms  (such  as  nausea,  weakness,  headache,  etc.), 
and  if  no  medicine  of  close  homoeopathic  relation  to  the 
case  can  be  found,  the  physician  will  look  in  vain  for  an 
immediate  favorable  result  from  the  use  of  this  unho- 
mceopathic  remedy. 

§  166.  Instances  of  this  kind,  however,  will  be  very 
rare,  owing  to  the  great  recent  addition  of  medicines,  well 
tested  with  reference  to  their  pure  effects  ;  and  if  such  a 
case  should  occur,  the  temporary  delay  in  its  cure  will  be 
removed  as  soon  as  a  subsequent  medicine  of  more  strik- 
ing similitude  is  selected. 

§  167.  If,  in  an  acute  case,  accessory  disturbances  of 
some  importance  should  result  from  the  first  and  imperfect 
homoeopathic  medicine,  its  first  dose  should  not  be  allowed 
to  complete  its  operation,  nor  should  the  patient  be  left 
to  suffer  the  entire  duration  of  the  effect  of  the  medicine ; 
but  his  case  with  its  recent  changes  should  now  be  re- 
examined,  and  the  remaining  original  symptoms  consid- 
ered in  connection  with  the  accessory  ones,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  construing  a  new  picture  of  the  disease. 

§  168.  This  will  greatly  diminish  the  difficulty  of  select- 
ing from  our  stock  of  well-known  medicines,  a  remedy  an- 
alogous to  the  newly  examined  case ;  and  a  single  pre- 
scription of  the  remedy  will  suffice  for  the  cure  of  the 
disease,  or  at  least  to  bring  it  much  nearer  to  its  termi- 
nation. If  this  remedy,  also,  should  be  found  insuffi- 
cient for  the  re-establishment  of  perfect  health,  the  ex- 


ORGAXON   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  143 

am ination  of  the  remaining  morbid  condition,  and  the 
selection  of  the  most  suitable  homoeopathic  remedy,  should 
be  repeated  until  the  object  of  restoring  the  patient  to 
perfect  health  is  accomplished. 

§  169.  On  account  of  the  limited  number  of  thoroughly 
known  remedies,  cases  may  occur  where  the  first  exam- 
ination of  the  disease,  and  the  first  selection  of  a  remedy 
prove  that  the  totality  of  symptoms  of  the  disease  is  not 
sufficiently  covered  by  the  morbific  elements  (symptoms) 
of  a  single  remedy ;  and  where  we  are  obliged  to  choose 
between  two  medicines  which  seem  to  be  equally  well 
suited  to  the  case,  and  one  of  which  appears  to  be 
homoeopathic  to  a  certain  portion  of  the  symptoms  of 
the  case,  while  the  second  is  indicated  by  the  other  por- 
tion. In  these  instances,  after  having  decided  upon, 
and  prescribed  one  of  these  medicines  as  most  eligible, 
it  is  not  advisable  to  administer  the  remedy  of  our  sec- 
ond choice  without  farther  scrutiny,  because  it  may  no 
longer  correspond  to  the  symptoms  which  remain  after 
the  case  has  undergone  a  change.  It  will,  therefore,  be 
our  best  plan  to  make  a  new  record  of  the  case,  and  to 
find  the  most  homoeopathic  remedy  for  the  state  of  the 
symptoms. 

§  170.  In  this,  as  well  as  in  every  other  case  where  a 
change  of  symptoms  has  occurred,  a  new  record  should 
be  made  of  the  remaining  symptoms,  and  a  new  homoeo- 
pathic remedy  selected  (without  regard  to  that  second 
medicine,  which  at  first  appeared  as  second  best),  which 
is  adapted  as  accurately  as  possible  to  the  new  state  of 
the  disease  as  now  presented.  But  if  it  should  appear, 
as  it  rarely  does,  that  the  medicine  of  our  second  choice 
were  still  suited  to  the  remnant  of  the  morbid  condition, 


144  ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

it  would  now  deserve  much  more  confidence,  and  should 
be  employed  in  preference  to  others. 

§  171.  In  non- venereal  chronic  diseases,  which  origi- 
nated from  psora,  it  is  often  necessary  to  employ  several 
antipsoric  remedies  in  succession ;  each  of  which  in  its 
turn  had  been  homoeopathically  selected,  in  accordance 
with  the  group  of  symptoms  left  uncured  when  the  pre- 
ceding remedy  (given  in  single,  or  in  repeated  doses) 
had  terminated  its  action. 

§  172.  Another  embarrassment  in  the  performance  of 
a  cure,  may  arise  from  the  scarcity  of  symptoms  pre- 
sented by  the  disease.  This  is  an  impediment  which 
merits  careful  consideration,  because  its  removal  will  also 
do  away  with  the  most  serious  difficulties  encountered  in 
this  perfect  method  of  curing ;  if  we  except  those  arising 
from  the  incompleteness  of  our  apparatus  of  known 
homoeopathic  medicines. 

§  173.  Diseases  which  seem  to  present  an  insufficient 
number  of  symptoms,  and  which,  therefore,  appear  to  be 
less  susceptible  of  cure,  may  with  propriety  be  termed 
partial  (one-sided)  diseases.  They  present  only  one  or 
two  prominent  symptoms,  which  obscure  the  remaining 
features  of  the  case  almost  entirely.  The  greater  part 
of  such  diseases  are  chronic. 

§  174.  Their  chief  symptoms  may  indicate  either  an 
internal  affection,  e.  g.,  headache,  diarrhoea,  or  cardialgia 
of  long  standing,  etc.,  or  it  may  belong  to  an  affection 
of  more  external  character.  The  last-named  kind  is  com- 
monly known  as  local  diseases. 


ORGANOX  OF  THE  ART  OF  HEALING.         145 

§  175.  If  in  partial  diseases  of  the  internal  variety, 
all  the  symptoms  necessary  for  the  completion  of  the 
outlines  of  the  case  are  not  entirely  discovered,  the  error 
is  generally  to  be  ascribed  to  want  of  attention  on  the 
part  of  the  physician. 

§  176.  There  are,  however,  a  few  diseases  which,  not- 
withstanding careful  investigation  at  the  outset  (§§  84-98) , 
exhibit  their  peculiarities  but  imperfectly,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  strongly  marked  and  violent  symptoms. 

§  177.  Rare  as  these  cases  may  be,  we  may  meet  them 
successfully  by  making  the  best  use  of  these  few  promi- 
nent symptoms,  which  will  serve  as  guides  in  the  selec- 
tion of  a  homoeopathic  remedy. 

§  178.  It  may  certainly  happen  sometimes,  that  a 
medicine  selected  with  careful  observance  of  the  homoeo- 
pathic law,  may  embrace  in  its  symptoms  the  similar, 
artificial  disease  which  is  capable  of  curing  the  natural 
partial  disease.  The  possibility  of  such  a  result  is  in- 
creased, if  the  few  symptoms  of  the  natural  disease  are 
especially  peculiar  to  it,  and  well  defined  (characteristic). 

§  179.  In  most  cases,  however,  the  first  selected  remedy 
will  only  be  partially,  that  is,  inaccurately  adapted,  be- 
cause a  proper  selection  could  not  be  made  in  the  absence 
of  a  majority  of  striking  symptoms. 

§  180.  Although  the  homoeopathic  medicine  may  have 
been  selected  as  well  as  the  symptoms  of  the  case  would 
allow,  it  may  be  only  partially  analogous  to  the  disease, 
and  will,  therefore,  excite  accessory  symptoms  in  the 
same  manner,  as  (§  162,  and  the  following)  where  the 

10 


146  ORGANON   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

scarcity  of  remedies  renders  their  homoeopathic  adapta« 
tion  imperfect.  An  imperfectly  adapted  remedy  will 
mingle  some  of  its  own  peculiar  symptoms  with  the  feel- 
ings of  the  patient ;  but  they  should  be  regarded  as 
symptoms  of  the  disease  itself,  although  they  had  rarely 
or  never  been  perceived  before.  In  other  words,  sensa- 
tions will  be  developed  in  a  higher  degree,  which  the 
patient  had  not  previously  perceived  at  all,  or  only  im- 
perfectly. 

§  181.  The  newly  presented  accessory  sensations  and 
symptoms  of  such  a  case  ought  not  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
last  remedy  alone.  It  is  true  that  they  proceed  partly 
from  the  remedy  ;[105]  but  the  symptoms  are  always  of 
a  kind  which  this  medicine  is  of  itself  capable  of  pro- 
ducing in  a  certain  kind  of  constitution,  and  which  are 
only  brought  to  light  by  the  medicine,  as  an  agent  capa- 
ble of  giving  *  rise  to  similar  symptoms.  Therefore,  the 
now  visible  totality  of  symptoms  must  be  regarded,  and 
consequently  treated  as  belonging  to  the  disease  itself, 
and,  in  fact,  as  its  true  representative  condition. 

§  182.  Although  the  remedy  may  be  imperfectly 
adapted  on  account  of  the  unavoidable  deficiency  of 
symptoms  presented  by  the  case,  it  will,  nevertheless, 
serve  the  purpose  of  bringing  to  light  the  symptoms 
belonging  to  the  disease;  thus  facilitating  the  task  of 
searching  out  a  second,  and  more  accurately  suited  ho- 
moeopathic medicine. 

§  183.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  dose  of  the  first  medi- 
cine ceases  its  beneficial  action,  a  new  record  of  the  dis- 
ease is  to  be  made,  the  status  morbi,  as  it  is,  noted,  and  a 
new  and  accurate  homoeopathic  remedy  chosen  accord- 


ORGAXON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  147 

ingly.  This  will  be  readily  found,  now  that  the  group 
of  symptoms  has  become  more  numerous  and  com- 
plete; [106]  and  it  should  be  administered  at  once,  pro- 
vided the  new  symptoms  are  not  sufficiently  severe  to 
require  more  prompt  relief;  an  aggravation  of  this  kind, 
however,  is  rarely  produced  by  minute  homoeopathic 
doses  in  diseases  of  long  standing. 

§  184.  After  the  completion  of  the  effect  of  each  dose 
of  medicine,  the  case  should  be  re-examined,  in  order  to 
ascertain  what  symptoms  remain ;  and  again  a  most  suit- 
able homoeopathic  remedy  should  be  selected,  correspond- 
ing to  this  newly  found  group  of  symptoms ;  and  so  on, 
till  health  is  restored. 

§  185.  The  so-called  local  affections  occupy  a  promi- 
nent place  among  partial  diseases.  The  term  is  applied 
to  diseased  conditions  appearing  upon  external  parts  of 
the  body,  which,  as  the  old  school  teaches,  are  diseased 
independently  and  without  the  participation  of  the  rest 
of  the  body — an  absurd  theory,  that  has  led,  and  still 
leads  to  the  most  pernicious  treatment. 

§  186.  The  name  of  local  diseases  seems  most  applica- 
ble to  those  affections  which  are  of  recent  origin,  and 
caused  by  external  injury.  But  in  that  case  the  injury 
must  have  been  trifling,  and,  hence,  of  no  particular  sig- 
nificance, because  the  entire  body  is  made  to  participate 
in  the  suffering  caused  by  external  injuries  even  of  mod- 
erate severity ;  as,  for  instance,  when  they  are  followed 
by  febrile  conditions.  Affections  of  external  parts  requir- 
ing mechanical  skill,  properly  belong  to  surgery  alone; 
as,  for  instance,  when  external  impediments  are  to  be  re- 
moved that  prevent  the  vital  force  from  accomplishing 


148  O  FIG  ANON   OF   THE    ART   OF   HEALING. 

the  cure.  Examples  of  this  kind  are :  reduction  of  dislo- 
cations ;  the  union  of  edges  of  wounds  by  bandages;  the 
extraction  of  foreign  bodies  that  have  penetrated  parts  of 
the  body ;  the  opening  of  cavities,  either  for  the  removal 
of  cumbersome  substances,  or  to  form  an  outlet  to  effu-  ( 
sions ;  the  approximation  of  fractured  ends  of  bones,  and 
the  retention  of  the  adjusted  parts  by  proper  bandages, 
etc.  But  frequently  the  entire  organism  is  affected  to 
such  an  extent  by  injuries  as  to  require  dynamic  treat- 
ment, in  order  that  it  may  be  placed  in  the  proper  con- 
dition for  the  performance  of  the  curative  operation. 
Where,  for  instance,  an  active  fever  produced  by  severe 
contusions,  lacerations  of  muscles,  tendons,  and  vessels  is 
to  be  subdued  by  internal  administration  of  medicines,  or 
where  the  external  pain  of  burnt  or  corroded  parts  is  to 
be  removed,  there  the  dynamic  effect  of  homoeopathic 
treatment  is  imperatively  called  for. 

§  187.  But  affections  of  external  parts,  which  are  not 
caused  by  external  injuries,  or  of  which  slight  injuries 
may  have  been  only  the  remote  cause,  have  a  source  of 
very  different  nature,  and  proceed  from  an  internal  mor- 
bid state.  To  designate  such  conditions  merely  as  local 
diseases,  and  to  treat  them  surgically,  as  it  were,  and 
almost  exclusively  by  local  applications  according  to  the 
most  ancient  custom  of  medicine,  is  as  absurd  as  its  con- 
sequences are  disastrous. 

§  188.  These  evils  were  simply  considered  and  desig- 
nated as  local  affections  of  separate  visible  parts  upon 
which  they  were  supposed  to  occur  exclusively,  while  the 
rest  of  the  general  organism  was  supposed  to  take  little 
or  no  part  in  them,  and  to  remain  unconscious,  as  it  were, 
of  their  existence.  [107] 


GRGANON   OP   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  149 

§  189.  It  becomes  apparent  upou  reflection  thijt  no  ex- 
ternal disease  (not  occasioned  by  some  particular  external 
lesion)  can  be  originated,  hold  its  place,  or,  least  of  all, 
become  aggravated  without  some  internal  cause,  or  with- 
^out  the  participation  of  the  organism  which,  con- 
sequently, must  share  in  the  morbid  condition.  An 
external  disease  of  that  kind  could  never  make  its  ap- 
pearance without  involving  the  entire  state  of  health, 
and  without  the  participation  of  the  living  whole;  that 
is,  of  the  vital  force  governing  all  the  other  sensitive  and 
irritable  parts  of  the  organism.  •  The  growth  of  such  a 
disorder  is  inconceivable  unless  called  forth  by  a  morbid 
condition  of  the  entire  vital  principle.  In  fact,  all  parts 
of  the  organism  are  so  intimately  connected  as  to  form 
an  indivisible  whole  in  feelings  and  functions,  that  not 
even  an  eruption  on  the  lips,  or  a  case  of  paronychia  can 
be  accounted  for  without  assuming  a  previous  and  simul- 
taneous diseased  state  of  the  body. 

§  190.  In  order  to  combine  both  safety  and  thorough- 
ness in  the  medical  treatment  of  external  diseases  not 
dependent  upon  external  lesions,  all  curative  measures 
should  be  planned  with  reference  to  the  state  of  the  whole 
system,  in  order  to  effect  the  obliteration  and  cure  of  the 
general  disease  by  means  of  internal  remedies. 

§  191.  This  is  unequivocally  verified  by  experience, 
which  shows  in  every  instance  that  each  internal  active 
medicine,  immediately  after  having  been  taken,  causes 
significant  changes  in  the  general  condition  of  the  pa- 
tient, and  principally  also  in  diseased  external  and  re- 
mote parts  which  are,  by  the  old  school,  considered  as 
isolated.  In  fact,  a  medicine  produces  the  most  salutary 
change  in  the  form  of  convalescence  of  the  entire  body, 


150  ORGAXON   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING. 

during  which  the  external  evil  is  seen  to  disappear  with- 
out the  aid  of  external  medication,  provided  the  internal 
homoeopathic  remedy  had  been  properly  selected  to  meet 
the  whole  case. 

§  192.  This  is  done  most  effectually  by  conducting  the 
examination  of  a  case  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  record 
of  the  exact  state  of  the  local  disease  is  added  to  the 
summary  of  all  symptoms,  and  other  peculiarities  to  be 
observed  in  the  general  condition  of  the  patient  (before, 
during,  and  after  the  use  of  medicines),  in  order  to  com- 
plete the  record  or  picture  of  the  disease  before  proceed- 
ing to  select  (from  among  the  medicines  tested  with  re- 
gard to  their  morbific  effects)  a  homoeopathic  remedy 
corresponding  to  this  totality  of  symptoms. 

§  193.  By  this  internal  remedy  the  general  morbid 
condition  of  the  body  is  cured  simultaneously  with  the 
local  disease,  and  sometimes  the  first  dose  of  the  remedy 
accomplishes  this  end,  if  the  disease  is  of  recent  origin. 
This  proves  that  the  local  evil  must  have  depended  en- 
tirely upon  a  diseased  state  of  the  system  in  general, 
and  that  it  was  to  be  regarded  as  an  inseparable  part,  and 
as  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  prominent  symptoms  of 
the  entire  disease. 

§  194.  It  is  neither  beneficial  in  acute  local  diseases  of 
rapid  growth,  nor  in  those  of  long  standing,  to  use  a 
remedy  externally  as  a  local  application  to  the  diseased 
part,  even  if  the  medicines  were  .specific  and  curative  in 
that  form.  Acute  local  diseases,  such  as  inflammations 
of  single  parts,  like  erysipelas,  for  instance,  which  are 
not  produced  by  violent  external  injuries,  but  by  dynamic 
or  internal  causes,  will  usually  yield  rapidly  to  internal 


ORGANOX   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  151 

homoeopathic  remedies  selected  from  our  stock  of  well- 
tested  medicines,  [108]  and  adapted  to  actually  percepti- 
ble external  and  internal  symptoms.  But  notwithstand- 
ing the  well-regulated  habits  of  the  patient,  a  remnant 
of  disease  may  still  be  left  in  the  affected  part  or  in  the 
system  at  large,  which  the  vital  force  is  unable  to  restore 
to  its  normal  state;  in  that  case  the  acute  local  disease 
frequently  proves  to  be  a  product  of  psora,  which  has 
lain  dormant  in  the  system,  where  it  is  now  about  to  be- 
come developed  into  an  actual  chronic  disease. 

§  195.  Causes  of  this  kind  are  by  no  means  uncom- 
mon ;  and  in  order  to  accomplish  a  thorough  cure  after 
the  acute  condition  has  been  reduced  as  far  as  possible,  a 
proper  course  of  antipsoric  treatment  should  be  instituted 
to  remove  the  remainder  of  the  disease,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  to  relieve  the  habitual  symptoms  peculiar  to  the  pa- 
tient previous  to  the  acute  attack  (according  to  the  direc- 
tions given  in  the  book  on  chronic  diseases).  The  anti- 
psoric, internal  treatment  is  requisite  in  non-venereal 
chronic  disorders. 

§  196.  It  may  seem  as  if  the  cure  of  a  local  disease 
could  be  accelerated,  not  only  by  internal  administration, 
but  also  by  external  application  of  the  correct  homoeo- 
pathic remedy  adapted  to  the  totality  of  symptoms,  since 
the  effect  of  a  medicine,  applied  locally  to  the  disease 
itself,  might  possibly  produce  a  more  rapid  improvement. 

§  197.  But  this  kind  of  treatment  is  entirely  objection- 
able, not  only  in  local  affections  dependent  on  psora,  but 
also  in  local  symptoms  arising  from  syphilis  and  from 
sycosis,  because  the  local  application  of  a  medicine,  simul- 
taneously with  its  internal  use,  results  in  great  disadvan- 


!52  ORGANON   OJP  THE   ART  OF    HEALING. 

tages.  For  in  diseases  characterized  by  a  main  symptom 
in  the  form  of  a  permanent  local  affection, [109]  the  latter 
is  generally  dispelled  by  topical  applications  more  rapidly 
than  the  internal  disease.  This  often  leads  to  the  decep- 
tive impression  that  we  have  accomplished  a  perfect  cure. 
At  all  events  the  premature  disappearance  of  this  local 
symptom  renders  it  very  difficult,  and  in  some  cases  im- 
possible to  determine  whether  the  total  disease  has  also 
been  exterminated  by  the  internal  remedy. 

§  198.  For  the  same  reason,  a  medicine  having  the 
power  of  curing  internally,  should  not  be  employed  ex- 
clusively as  a  topical  application  to  the  local  symptoms 
of  chronic  miasmatic  diseases.  For,  if  these  are  only 
topically  suppressed,  this  partial  effect  will  leave  us  in 
doubt  regarding  the  action  of  the  internal  remedies, 
which  are  absolutely  indispensable  to  the  restoration  of 
general  health.  The  main  symptom  (local  disease)  has 
disappeared,  and  only  the  less  important  symptoms  are 
left;  these  are  so  much  less  constant  and  reliable  than 
the  local  disease,  and  their  peculiarities  and  character- 
istics are  often  so  indistinct,  that  they  fail  to  furnish  a 
clear  and  perfect  outline  of  the  disease. 

§  199.  Now,  if  in  addition  to  this,  the  appropriate 
homoeopathic  remedy  for  the  disease[110]  has  not  been 
found  up  to  the  time  when  the  local  symptom  was  ob- 
literated by  caustics,  escharotics,  or  by  excision,  the  case 
will  be  involved  in  still  greater  difficulty,  on  account  of 
the  obscurity  and  inconstancy  of  the  remaining  symp- 
toms. After  the  external  and  principal  symptom  has 
been  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  our  observation,  we  are 
deprived  of  that  feature  of  the  case  which  would  have 
determined  the  selection  of  a  homeopathic  remedy,  the 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  153 

internal  use  of  which,  could  alone  have  secured  complete 
recovery. 

§  200.  If  this  main  symptom  were  still  present,  the 
homoeopathic  remedy  for  the  whole  disease  could  have 
been  found,  and  in  that  case  the  persistence  of  the  local 
disease,  during  the  internal  operation  of  the  medicine, 
would  prove  the  incompleteness  of  the  cure.  But  if  the 
local  disease  disappears  from  its  site,  we  would  gain  an 
inestimable  advantage,  and  have  established  evidence  of 
the  achievement  of  a  radical  cure,  and  of  complete  re- 
covery from  the  general  disease. 

§  201.  When  the  system  is  affected  with  some  chronic 
disease  which  threatens  to  destroy  vital  organs  and  life 
itself,  and  which  does  not  yield  to  the  spontaneous  efforts 
of  the  vital  force,  this  endeavors  to  quiet  the  inner  dis- 
ease, and  to  avert  the  danger  by  substituting  and  main- 
taining a  local  disease  on  some  external  part  of  the  body, 
whither  the  internal  disease  is  transferred  by  derivation. 
The  presence  of  the  local  disease  for  a  time  arrests  the 
internal  evil,  without,  however,  being  able  to  cure  it  or 
to  lessen  it  essentially. [Ill]  Nevertheless,  the  local  dis- 
ease continues  to  be  a  part  of  the  general  disease ;  but  it 
is  a  part  which  has  become  excessively  developed  in  one 
direction  by  the  organic  vital  force,  and  transported  to  a 
more  secure  portion  of  the  body,  in  order  to  lessen  the 
internal  morbid  proees-:.  To  soothe  the  inner  disease  by 
a  local  affection,  is  of  little  benefit  to  the  vital  force  in  its 
effort  to  reduce  and  cure  the  general  disease.  For,  not- 
withstanding the  efforts  of  nature,  the  internal  disease  in- 
creases constantly,  while  nature  is  compelled  gradually 
to  enlarge  and  aggravate  the  local  symptom,  in  order  to 
make  it  a  sufficient  substitute  for,  and  to  subdue  the  inner 


154  ORGANON  OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

disease.     Old  ulcers  of  the  leg,  and  chancres  are  aggra- 
vated and  enlarged  in  proportion  to  the  spontaneous 
growth  of  internal  syphilis  and  psora  which  remain  uu 
cured. 

§  202.  When  an  old-school  physician,  acting  under 
the  impression  that  he  is  curing  the  whole  disease,  de- 
stroys the  local  symptom  by  external  remedies,  nature 
will  offset  it  by  awakening  and  extending  the  inner  dis- 
ease, and  all  the  dormant  symptoms  which  had  previously 
coexisted  with  the  local  affection.  A  case  of  this  kind 
is  then  incorrectly  defined  in  popular  phrase,  by  saying 
that  the  topical  medicine  had  driven  the  whole  disease 
back  into  the  system  upon  the  nerves. 

§  203.  Many  kinds  of  external  treatment  are  in  vogue 
for  the  removal  of  local  symptoms  from  the  surface  of 
the  body,  without  curing  the  inner  miasmatic  disease.  It 
is  customary,  for  instance,  to  remove  the  itch  from  the 
skin  by  all  kinds  of  ointments;  to  destroy  chancres  ex- 
ternally by  cauterization;  and  locally  to  exterminate 
sycotic  excrescences  by  excision,  ligature,  or  the  actual 
cautery.  This  method  of  external  treatment  hitherto  so 
common,  is  pernicious  in  its  results,  and  is  the  most  gen- 
eral source  of  innumerable  chronic  diseases  with  and 
without  names,  under  the  burden  of  which  the  human 
race  suffers;  although  one  of  the  most  culpable  habits  of 
the  medical  profession,  it  was  hitherto  generally  intro- 
duced, and  is  proclaimed  by  professors  as  the  only  re- 
liable method  of  practice.  [11 2] 

§  204.  By  placing  into  one  class  all  protracted  diseases 
arising  from  unwholesome  habits  of  living,  together  witli 
countless  drug-diseases  (see  §  74),  produced  by  the  per- 


ORGANON   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  155 

wstent  and  debilitating  treatment  often  employed  by  old- 
school  physicians  in  trifling  disorders,  we  shall  then  find 
that  all  other  chronic  diseases,  without  exception,  are  de- 
rived from  the  development  of  three  chronic  miasms:  in- 
ternal syphilis,  internal  sycosis,  but  chiefly  and  in  far 
greater  proportion  internal  psora.  Each  of  these  must 
have  pervaded  the  entire  organism,  and  penetrated  all  its 
parts  before  the  primary,  representative  local  symptom, 
peculiar  to  each  miasm  (itch  eruption  of  psora,  chancre 
and  bubo  of  syphilis,  and  condyloid  excrescences  of 
sycosis)  makes  its  appearance  for  the  prevention  of  the 
inner  disease.  When  its  local  symptom  is  suppressed,  the 
internal  disease  will  be  developed  sooner  or  later,  in  obe- 
dience to  the  laws  of  nature.  It  will  be  followed  by 
endless  misery  in  the  form  of  innumerable  chronic  dis- 
eases which  have  been  the  scourge  of  the  human  race  for 
thousands  of  years,  and  these  would  never  have  prevailed 
to  such  an  extent,  had  physicians  endeavored  rationally 
and  zealously  to  cure  and  eradicate  each  miasm  by  in- 
ternal homoeopathic  treatment  and  well-selected  medicines, 
instead  of  tampering  with  their  local  symptoms  by  topi- 
cal applications. 

§  205.  Homoeopathic  practice  never  requires  us  to 
single  out  some  primary  or  secondary  symptom  resulting 
from  chronic  miasm,  nor  to  resort  to  external  local  reme- 
dies, either  dynamic[113J  or  mechanical.  But  wherever 
one  of  these  symptoms  appears,  homoeopathy  cures  the 
great  fundamental  miasm,  together  with  which  its  primary 
as  well  as  its  secondary  symptoms  vanish  simultaneously. 
But  as  the  homoeopathic  physician  will  generally  find 
the  primary  symptoms [11 4]  to  have  been  suppressed  by 
local  treatment  of  allopathic  practitioners,  it  will  be  his 
duty  to  accomplish  what  his  predecessors  neglected  to  do. 


156  ORGAXON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

He  will,  therefore,  give  his  attention  more  particuli  rly  to 
the  secondary  symptoms  which  result  from  the  develop- 
ment of  an  inner  miasm,  and  will  observe  especially 
chronic  diseases  arising  from  internal  psora.  I  have  en- 
deavored to  demonstrate  the  internal  treatment  of  these 
diseases,  as  far  as  it  was  possible  for  a  single  physician  to 
do,  after  many  years  of  thought,  observation,  and  ex- 
perience, in  my  book  on  chronic  diseases,  to  which  I 
herewith  refer  the  reader. 

§  206.  Before  beginning  the  treatment  of  a  chronic 
disease,  it  is  necessary  to  inquire  most  carefully  [11 5]  if 
the  patient  had  been  infected  by  venereal  disease,  or  by 
sycotic  gonorrhoea.  In  either  case  the  treatment  should 
be  directed  against  the  affection  whose  symptoms  are  alone 
found  to  be  present ;  although  it  is  rare  in  modern  times 
to  meet  with  uncomplicated  cases  of  these  affections.  If 
such  an  infection  is  acknowledged  by  the  patient,  it  should 
also  be  taken  into  consideration  when  psora  is  the  prin- 
cipal object  of  treatment,  because  the  latter  will  have  been 
complicated  with  the  former,  a  condition  always  indi- 
cated when  the  symptoms  of  psora  are  mingled  with 
others.  When  a  physician  is  called  to  treat  what  he 
supposes  to  be  an  inveterate  case  of  syphilis,  he  will  usu- 
ally find  that  it  is  principally  complicated  with  psora, 
because  the  inner  itch  miasm,  or  psora,  is  by  far  the  most 
frequent  and  fundamental  cause  of  chronic  diseases,  and 
is  frequently  complicated  either  with  syphilis  or  with 
sycosis,  if  infection  with  the  latter  has  taken  place.  But 
in  by  far  the  majority  of  cases,  psora  is  the  sole  and  fun- 
damental cause  of  chronic  diseases,  whatever  their  names 
may  be,  and  these  are  often  exaggerated  and  distorted  by 
allopathic  interference. 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  157 

§  207.  After  these  conditions  have  been  fulfilled,  it  re- 
mains for  the  homoeopathic  physician  to  inquire  to  what 
allopathic  treatment  the  patient  'had  been  hitherto  sub- 
jected, and  what  active  medicines  he  had  chiefly  and 
most  frequently  used.  It  should  also  be  ascertained 
what  mineral  baths  he  had  employed,  arid  with  what  re- 
sult, in  order  to  understand  the  deviations  which  this 
treatment  had  produced  in  the  original  disease;  and  to 
determine  the  course  to  be  pursued,  to  correct,  if  possible, 
this  artificial  deterioration,  or,  at  least,  to  avoid  henceforth 
those  medicines  which  had  been  abused. 

i 

§  208.  Next  to  this,  the  patient's  age,  mode  of  living 
and  diet,  occupation,  domestic  circumstances,  and  even 
his  social  position  are  to  be  considered,  in  order  to  see  if 
these  have  been  of  a  nature  to  augment  the  disease,  or 
in  what  respect  the  cure  might  be  favored  or  impeded 
thereby.  Neither  should  the  physician  overlook  the  pa- 
tient's state  of  mind  and  temperament,  and  observe  if  it 
inclines  to  prevent  the  cure,  or  whether  it  might  be  neces- 
sary to  direct  or  modify  his  mental  condition  by  psychi- 
cal means. 

§  209.  After  these  points  have  received  attention  ac- 
cording to  the  above  directions,  and  after  several  inter- 
views, the  physician  will  find  himself  enabled  to  deter- 
mine the  state  of  the  patient's  case  as  perfectly  as  possible, 
and  to  mark  the  most  conspicuous  and  peculiar  (charac- 
teristic) symptoms.  Guided  by  these,  and  in  accordance 
with  strict  similitude  of  symptoms,  he  should  then  select 
the  first  antipsoric,  antisyphilitic,  or  antisycotic  remedy 
for  the  beginning  of  the  cure. 

§  210.  Most  diseases  which  I  have  previously  described 


158  ORGAXON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING 

as  partial,  belong  to  psora,  and  these  appear  to  be  more 
difficult  to  cure  owing  to  this  partial  development,  where 
all  other  symptoms  of  the  disease  are  obscured  by  the 
presence  of  one,  great,  prominent  symptom.  The  so- 
called  diseases  of  the  mind  and  temperament  are  of  this 
kind.  These,  however,  do  not  constitute  a  class  of  dis- 
eases strictly  distinct  from  others,  because  the  state  of 
the  mind  is  always  modified\\.\&\  in  so-called  physical 
diseases ;  and  hence  the  state  of  the  mind,  being  one  of 
the  most  important  features  of  the  complex  of  symptoms, 
is  to  be  noted,  in  order  to  secure  a  reliable  record  (picture) 
of  all  diseases  presenting  themselves  for  treatment,  and 
that  each  may  be  effectually  and  homoeopathically  cured. 

§  211.  The  state  of  the  patient's  mind  and  tempera- 
ment is  often  of  most  decisive  importance  in  the  homoeo- 
pathic selection  of  a  remedy,  since  it  is  a  distinct  and 
peculiar  symptom  that  should  least  of  all  escape  the 
accurate  observation  of  the  physician. 

§  212.  The  effect  upon  the  state  of  mind  and  disposi- 
tion is  the  principal  feature  of  all  diseases,  and  seems  to 
have  been  specially  ordained  by  the  Creator  of  all  heal- 
ing powers.  There  is  not  a  single  potent  medicinal  sub- 
stance that  does  not  possess  the  power  of  altering  percep- 
tibly the  mental  condition  and  mood  of  -a  healthy  person 
who  voluntarily  tests  a  drug;  indeed,  each  medicinal  sub- 
stance affects  the  mind  in  a  different  manner. 

§  213.  The  treatment  would  not  be  in  accordance  with 
nature,  that  is,  homoeopathic,  unless  we  recognize  also  the 
symptomatic  changes  of  mind  and  temperament  occur- 
ring in  every  case  of  acute  as  well  as  of  chronic  disease, 
and  unless  we  select  from  our  remedies  one  which,  next 


ORGANON   OP   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  159 

to  the  similitude  of  its  physical  symptoms  to  those  of  the 
disease,  is  also  capable  of  producing  by  itself  a  similar 
effect  upon  the  mind  and  disposition. [11 7] 

§  214.  What  I  have  to  say  regarding  the  treatment  of 
mental  diseases,  may  be  expressed  in  a  few  words.  Such 
diseases  are  to  be  treated  like  all  others,  and  they  are  cur- 
able only  by  means  of  a  remedy  which  is  very  similar  to 
the  disease,  with  regard  to  the  morbific  effects  it  is  capable 
of  producing  upon  the  bodily  and  mental  state  of  a 
healthy  person. 

§  215.  Most  of  the  so-called  diseases  of  the  mind  are 
in  reality  bodily  diseases.  Certain  mental  and  emotional 
symptoms  are  peculiar  to  every  bodily  disease;  these 
symptoms  develop  more  or  less  rapidly,  assume  a  state  of 
most  conspicuous  one-sidedness,  and  are  finally  trans- 
ferred, like  a  local  disease,  into  the  invisibly  fine  organs 
of  the  mind,  where,  by  their  presence,  they  seem  to  ob- 
scure the  bodily  symptoms. 

§  216.  It  is  a  common  observation  that  a  dangerous 
physical  disease,  such  as  suppuration  of  the  lungs,  or 
other  destructive  and  acute  affections  (like  those  follow- 
ing childbirth),  have  certain  mental  symptoms.  These 
are  subject  to  rapid  development,  and  often  degenerate 
into  insanity,  melancholy,  or  raving  madness,  whereby 
all  threatening  bodily  symptoms  are  made  to  vanish,  and 
seem  to  be  replaced  by  perfect  health ;  or,  rather,  they 
diminish  to  such  a  degree,  that  their  presence,  though  ob- 
scured, is  discovered  only  by  the  utmost  vigilance  and 
care  on  the  part  of  the  physician.  In  this  manner  they 
assume  the  shape  of  one-sided,  or,  as  it  were,  of  local 
diseases  which  have  the  peculiarity,  that  a  slight  degree 


160  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART  OF    HEALING. 

of  mental  disturbance  is  enlarged  into  the  main  symp- 
tom, which  henceforth  serves  as  a  substitute  for  the  rest 
of  the  physical  symptoms,  and  palliates  their  violence. 
In  short,  the  disorders  of  the  coarser  bodily  organs  are 
transferred,  as  it  were,  to  the  almost  spiritual  organs  of 
the  mind,  where  the  dissecting-knife  will  search  in  vain 
for  their  cause. 

§  217.  In  these  diseases  the  observation  of  every  symp- 
tom should  be  conducted  with  the  utmost  care.  We 
should  obtain  most  exact  knowledge  of  the  bodily  symp- 
toms, particularly  also  of  the  definite  peculiarity  and 
character  of  the  main  feature  of  the  complex  of  symptoms, 
i.  e.,  of  the  precise  condition  of  the  mind  and  disposition 
prevailing  in  each  case.  We  shall  then  be  in  a  position 
to  select  from  the  remedies  known  according  to  their 
actual  effects,  one  that  will  cure  the  entire  disease.  The 
remedy  thus  chosen  should  exhibit  symptoms  of  the 
greatest  similitude,  not  only  to  those  of  the  bodily  dis- 
ease, but  also  to  those  of  the  mind  and  temperament. 


§  218.  In  recording  the  totality  of  symptoms  of  a 
of  this  kind,  it  is  of  prime  importance  to  obtain  an  accu- 
rate description  of  all  physical  symptoms  which  pre- 
vailed before  the  disease  degenerated  into  a  one-sided 
mental  disorder.  The  information  necessary  for  this 
purpose  will  be  derived  from  the  statements  of  the  atten- 
dants of  the  patient. 

§  219.  We  may  obtain  assurance  of  the  continued, 
though  obscured,  existence  of  the  physical  disease,  by 
comparing  its  early  symptoms  with  their  present  indis- 
tinct remnants  which  occasionally  appear  during  lucid 


ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  161 

intervals,  and  during  transient  amelioration  of  the  men- 
tal disease. 

§  220.  To  complete  the  record  of  the  totality,  it  is 
necessary  to  add  the  symptoms  of  the  mental  state  as 
observed  by  the  physician  and  attendants  of  the  patient. 
We  may  then  proceed  to  find  a  remedy  of  great  simili- 
tude, especially  with  regard  to  the  mental  disturbance 
which  it  has  the  power  to  produce ;  and  if  the  case  is  a 
chronic  one,  its  remedy  will  be  found  among  the  anti- 
psorics. 

§  221.  Insanity  or  madness  is  sometimes  occasioned 
by  fright,  vexation,  spirituous  liquors,  etc.,  and  takes  the 
form  of  an  acute  affection,  suddenly  interrupting  the 
ordinary  quiet  course  of  the  disease;  and,  although  it 
may  be  traced  to  latent  psora,  it  would  not  be  advisable 
to  treat  this  acute  attack  with  antipsoric  remedies  at 
once.  It  should  be  met  at  first  by  well-proved  remedies 
of  the  other  class,  such  as  Aconite,  Belladonna,  Stramo- 
nium, Hyoscyanus,  Mercurius,  etc.,  administered  in 
highly  attenuated  homoeopathic  doses.  These  will  sub- 
due it  so  far,  that  the  psora  is  for  the  present  forced  to 
return  to  its  latent  condition,  whereupon  the  patient  will 
appear  to  have  recovered. 

§  222.  Although  a  patient  is  relieved  of  an  acute  men- 
tal disorder  by  means  of  non-antipsoric  medicines,  he 
should  not  be  considered  as  entirely  cured.  On  the  con- 
trary, no  time  is  to  be  lost  in  perfecting  the  cure[118] 
by  means  of  continued  antipsoric  treatment,  in  order  to 
free  the  patient  from  the  chronic  miasm  of  psora  which, 
though  apparently  latent,  is  apt  to  break  out  anew. 
After  such  treatment,  no  fear  need  be  entertained  of 

11 


162  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

another  attack  of  the  same  kind,  provided  the  patient 
will  faithfully  adhere  to  well-regulated  diet  and  habits. 

§  223.  If  the  antipsoric  treatment  is  omitted,  a  new, 
more  protracted,  and  serious  attack  of  insanity  may  be 
called  forth  by  much  slighter  causes  than  the  first. 
During  this  second  attack,  psora  is  usually  developed, 
and  may  assume  the  form,  either  of  a  periodical  or  a 
continuous  affection  of  the  mind,  which  is  then  much 
more  difficult  to  cure. 


§  224.  Mental  disease  may  not  be  fully  developed,  or 
there  may  be  some  doubt  as  to  its  origin  from  physical 
disease,  or  from  educational  errors,  bad  habits,  corrupt 
morals,  neglected  mental  training,  superstition,  or  ignor- 
ance. In  these  cases,  the  following  will  serve  as  means 
of  distinguishing  the  cause:  if  the  mental  affection  is 
based  on  the  last-named  class  of  causes,  it  will  yield  and 
improve  under  the  influence  of  sensible  admonition  and 
consolation,  or  of  serious  remonstrances  and  arguments  ; 
while  real  mental  disorders  arising  from  physical  dis- 
ease, are  rapidly  aggravated  by  the  same  measures. 
Thus,  melancholy  patients  will  be  still  more  depressed, 
plaintive,  disconsolate,  and  retiring;  the  malicious  ma- 
niac will  be  still  more  embittered ;  and  the  silly  prattler 
will  become  more  foolish  than  ever.  [119] 

§  225.  There  are,  nevertheless,  some  mental  diseases 
which  are  not  the  result  of  physical  or  bodily  affections, 
but  which,  notwithstanding  tolerably  good  physical 
health,  originate  in,  and  proceed  directly  from  the  mind. 
They  are  often  caused  by  protracted  grief,  mortification, 
vexation,  insult,  and  frequent  occurrence  of  intense  fear, 


,ORGAXOX   OF  THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  163 

or  fright.     This  kind  of  mental  affection,  in  the  course 
of  time,  will  also  seriously  deteriorate  the  bodily  health. 

§  226.  When  this  kind  of  mental  affections,  bred  and 
nourished  by  the  soul  itself,  are  of  recent  date,  and  have 
not  yet  undermined  the  physical  health  too  seriously, 
they  admit  of  speedy  cure  by  psychical  treatment :  gen- 
tleness, kind  admonition,  appeals  to  reason,  and  often 
skilful  deception,  will  soon  restore  health  and  comfort  to 
the  mind,  while  careful  regulation  of  habits  will  reestab- 
lish the  health  of  the  body  also. 

§  227.  These  diseases  are  likewise  founded  on  psoric 
miasin  which  had  not  attained  its  full  development.  As 
a  measure  of  precaution,  therefore,  it  is  desirable  to  sub- 
ject the  convalescent  patient  to  a  course  of  thorough 
antipsoric  treatment,  in  order  to  prevent  a  recurrence 
of  the  attack  of  mental  aberration  which  might  readily 
occur. 

§  228.  Although  diseases  of  the  mind  and  tempera- 
ment, of  physical  origin,  are  only  to  be  cured  by  anti- 
psoric homoeopathic  medicine,  combined  with  carefully 
regulated  habits,  it  is  necessary,  also,  to  unite  this  treat- 
ment with  proper  hygiene  and  psychical  regimen  of  the 
mind,  to  be  strictly  enforced  by  the  physician  and  at- 
tendants of  the  patient.  Raving  madness  should  be  met 
by  calm  fearlessness  and  firmness  of  will ;  painfully 
plaintive  melancholy  should  be  soothed  by  silent  com- 
passion conveyed  by  gestures  and  expression  of  coun- 
tenance ;  silly  loquacity  should  be  listened  to  in  silence, 
but  with  some  degree  of  attention ;  indecent  behavior 
and  obscene  language  are  to  be  treated  with  indifference. 
The  destruction  and  injury  of  objects  should  be  simply 


164  Ol.GAJS'ON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

prevented  by  placing  them  out  of  reach,  without  re- 
proaching the  patient  for  his  conduct;  furthermore,  the 
treatment  should  be  conducted  with  a  view  to  the  abso- 
lute avoidance  of  corporeal  punishment  or  torture.  [120] 
The  administration  of  medicines  would  alone  justify 
coercion ;  but  this  is  easily  to  be  avoided  on  account  of 
the  smallness  of  the  dose,  and  absence  of  taste  of  homoeo- 
pathic medicines.  These  do  not  excite  suspicion,  and 
may,  therefore,  be  given  to  the  patient,  mixed  in  his 
usual  drink,  without  his  knowledge,  thus  obviating  every 
kind  of  compulsion. 

§  229.  On  the  other  hand  contradiction,  incessant  argu- 
ment, violent  remonstrance,  and  vituperation,  no  less  than 
weak  and  timid  submission,  are  altogether  out  of  place, 
and  alike  hurtful  as  means  of  treating  diseases  of  the 
mind.  There  is  nothing  that  embitters  the  insane,  and 
augments  their  diseases  so  much,  as  expressions  of  con- 
tempt, and  ill-disguised  deception.  The  physician  and 
attendant  should  always  treat  such  patients  as  if  they 
regarded  them  as  rational  beings. 

Therefore  every  disturbance  of  the  senses  and  of  the 
mind  should  be  avoided.  There  is  no  entertainment  to 
fascinate  their  benighted  spirit;  neither  words,  books, 
nor  other  objects  will  soothe  the  rebellious  soul,  now 
roused  to  madness,  now  languishing  imprisoned  in  the 
body  shattered  by  disease.  A  perfect  cure  alone  will 
bring  comfort;  rest  and  relief  will  return  to  the  mind, 
only  when  the  body  is  restored  to  health. 

§  230.  For  the  purpose  of  cure,  antipsoric  remedies 
should  be  most  homoeopathically  adapted  to  the  carefully 
recorded  symptoms  (image)  of  each  individual  case  of 
mental  disease,  whose  varieties  are  innumerable.  This 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  165 

adaptation  is  readily  effected  by  diligent  search  for  a 
suitable  homoeopathic  remedy,  provided  we  possess  a  suf- 
ficient number  of  known  remedies  to  choose  from.  The 
selection  is  likewise  facilitated  by  tlie  mental  affection  in 
its  character  as  chief  symptom  of  the  case,  pointing  to 
the  remedy  with  unmistakable  clearness.  When  the 
remedy  is  well  adapted,  the  minutest  dose  often  produces 
a  remarkable  improvement  in  a  short  time,  which  could 
not  have  been  attained  by  the  largest  and  frequent  doses 
of  all  other  inappropriate  (allopathic)  medicines,  even 
if  pushed  to  the  last  extreme.  Indeed,  manifold  expe- 
riences enable  me  to  assert  that  the  great  excellence  of 
homoeopathic  treatment,  compared  with  all  other  cura- 
tive methods,  is  never  more  triumphantly  exhibited  than 
when  applied  to  chronic  mental  diseases,  which  originally 
sprung  from  bodily  affections,  or  appeared  simultaneously 
with  them. 

§  231.  The  class  of  intermittent  diseases  also  claims 
our  special  attention.  There  are  those  which  return  at 
certain  periods ;  and  there  exists  also  a  great  number  of 
intermittent  fevers,  as  well  as  numerous  apparently  non- 
febrile  affections  resembling  the  intermittents  by  their 
periodical  recurrence.  Furthermore,  there  are  affections 
characterized  by  the  appearance  of  certain  morbid  con- 
ditions, alternating  at  uncertain  periods  with  morbid  con- 
ditions of  a  different  kind. 

§  232.  The  order  of  alternating  diseases  is  also  of 
great  variety,  [121]  but  all  belong  to  the  class  of  chronic 
diseases  which  are  mostly  a  product  of  developed  psora. 
In  some  rare  instances  they  are  complicated  with  syphil- 
itic miasm.  In  the  first  instance,  they  are  cured  by 
antipsoric  medicines,  but  in  the  latter  case  the  treatment 


166  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

should  be  conducted  by  alternating  antipsorics  with  anti- 
gyphilitics,  according  to  the  instructions  contained  in  the 
book  on  chronic  diseases. 


§  233.  Typical  intermittent  diseases  are  those  of  a 
uniform  morbid  condition  which  recurs  after  a  certain 
period  of  apparent  health,  and  which  again  vanishes 
after  an  equally  definite  period.  This  is  to  be  observed 
in  seemingly  feverless  diseases  of  intermittent  type,  as 
also  in  a  great  variety  of  febrile  diseases  like  intermit- 
tent fevers. 

§  234.  Apparently  non-febrile  morbid  conditions 
which  recur  at  stated  periods  with  some  patients,  are  not 
of  sporadic  or  epidemic  nature ;  but  they  always  belong 
to  the  class  of  chronic,  and  mostly  of  genuine  psoric 
diseases.  They  are  rarely  combined  with  syphilis,  and 
if  so,  they  are  effectually  treated  according  to  the  above 
suggestions.  But  sometimes  an  intercurrent  dose  of 
potentiated  tincture  of  Peruvian  bark  is  necessary  for 
the  purpose  of  completely  extinguishing  the  intermit- 
tent type  of  these  diseases. 

§  235.  In  sporadic  or  epidemic  intermittents,[122] 
Qot  prevalent  endemically  in  marshy  districts,  we  often 
observe  that  each  attack  is  composed  of  two  distinct 
stages,  such  as  chill  and  then  heat,  or  heat  and  then 
chill ;  but  still  more  frequently  they  consist  of  three 
stages,  viz.,  cold,  heat,  and  finally  sweat.  Hence,  the 
remedy  selected  for  these  diseases  from  the  general  class 
of  proved  medicines  (usually  the  non-antipsorics) ,  should 
also  possess  the  power  of  producing  in  healthy  persons, 
the  several  successive  stages  similar  to  the  natural  dis- 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  167 

ease.  The  remedy,  in  its  similitude  of  symptoms,  should 
correspond  as  closely  as  possible  with  the  most  prominent 
and  peculiar,  stage  of  the  disease.  It  should  be  homoeo- 
pathic either  to  the  cold  stage  and  its  collateral  symp- 
toms, or  to  the  hot  stage  and  its  collateral  symptoms, 
according  to  the  most  marked  peculiarity  of  these  stages. 
But  the  symptoms  which  mark  the  condition  of  the 
patient  during  the  period  of  intermission,  should  chiefly 
be  taken  as  guides  in  selecting  the  most  striking  homoeo- 
pathic remedy.  [123] 

§  236.  In  these  cases,  the  medicine  is  generally  most 
efficacious  when  it  is  administered  a  short  time  after  the 
termination  of  the  paroxysm,  when  the  patient  has  par- 
tially recovered  from  it.  During  the  intermission  the 
medicine  will  have  time  to  develop  its  curative  effect  in 
the  organism,  without  violent  action  or  disturbance; 
while  the  effect  of  a  medicine,  though  specifically 
adapted  to  the  case,  given  just  before  the  next  paroxysm, 
would  coincide  with  the  renewal  of  the  disease,  thereby 
creating  such  counteraction  and  distress  in  the  organism, 
as  to  deprive  the  patient  of  much  strength,  and  even  to 
endanger  life. [124]  But  if  the  medicine  is  given  just 
after  the  termination  of  the  attack,  when  the  fever  has 
entirely  subsided,  and  before  the  premonitory  symptoms 
of  the  next  paroxysm  have  time  to  appear,  the  vital 
force  of  the  organism  is  in  the  most  favorable  condition 
to  be  gently  modified  by  the  medicine,  and  restored  to 
healthy  action 

§  237.  If  the  feverless  interval  is  very  brief,  as  in 
some  severe  fevers,  or  if  it  is  disturbed  by  the  after- 
effects of  the  preceding  paroxysm,  the  dose  of  homoeo- 
pathic medicine  should  be  administered  when  the  per- 


QRGAJsON   OF  THE  ART  OF   HEALING, 

gpiration  diminishes,  or  when  the  subsequent  stages  of 
the  paroxysm  decline. 

§  238.  One  dose  of  the  appropriate  medicine  may 
prevent  several  attacks,  and  may  actually  have  restored 
health ;  nevertheless,  we  may  perceive  threatening  indi- 
cations of  a  new  attack,  and  in  this  case  only,  the  same 
remedy  should  be  repeated,  provided  the  complex  of 
symptoms  continues  to  be  the  same.  After  an  interval 
of  health,  the  recurrence  of  intermittent  fever  is  possible, 
only  when  the  noxious  influence  which  first  originated 
the  disease,  continues  to  act  upon  the  convalescent  pa- 
tient, as  would  be  the  case  in  marshy  localities.  Perfect 
recovery,  therefore,  can  be  secured  alone  by  avoiding 
this  exciting  cause ;  that  is,  by  removing  the  patient  to 
a  mountainous  region,  if  the  fever  occurred  in  a  marshy 
district. 

§  239.  Almost  every  drug,  in  its  pure  effect,  produces 
a  specific  distinct  kind  of  fever,  and  even  a  species  of 
intermittent  fever  with  its  alternating  stages,  differing 
from  fevers  produced  by  other  drugs.  Therefore  na- 
ture's bountiful  store  of  medicines  will  also  furnish  ho- 
moeopathic remedies  for  the  numerous  natural  forms  of 
intermittent  fevers.  Although  the  number  of  medicines 
tested  for  their  effects  upon  the  healthy  is  still  limited, 
remedies  will  be  found  for  many  of  these  fevers. 

§  240.  If  the  homoeopathic  specific  remedy,  adapted 
to  the  prevalent  epidemic  of  intermittent  fevers,  should 
fail  in  some  cases  to  accomplish  a  perfect  cure,  and  unless 
continued  exposure  to  marsh-miasin  is  at  fault,  we  may 
conclude  that  latent  psora  prevents  recovery,  and  that 
autipsoric  medicines  are  required  to  complete  the  cure. 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  169 

§  241.  Epidemics  of  intermittents  occurring  in  places 
where  such  fevers  are  not  epidemic,  partake  of  the  na- 
ture of  chronic  diseases,  and  are  composed  of  a  series  of 
acute  attacks.  Each  epidemic  possesses  a  peculiar  uniform 
character,  common  to  all  individuals  attacked  by  the  epi- 
demic disease.  By  observing  the  complex  of  symptoms 
peculiar  to  all  patients,  this  common  character  will  be 
found  to  point  out  the  homoeopathic  (specific)  remedy 
for  all  cases  in  general.  This  remedy  will  also  usually 
relieve  patients  who,  previous  to  this  epidemic,  had  en- 
joyed good  health,  and  who  were  free  from  developed 
psora. 

§  242.  If  in  such  an  epidemic  the  first  attacks  befall- 
ing an  individual,  were  left  uncured,  or  if  the  patients 
had  been  weakened  by  allopathic  abuses,  the  latent 
psora  pervading  the  organism  of  many,  becomes  devel- 
oped, assumes  the  type  of  epidemic  intermittent  fevers, 
and  apparently  plays  their  parts;  so  that  a  non-antipsoric 
medicine  which  might  have  been  beneficial  in  the  neg- 
lected primary  attack,  is  no  longer  suitable,  and  utterly 
useless.  In  this  case  we  shall  have  to  contend  with  a 
psoric  intermittent  fever,  which  usually  yields  only  to  the 
finest  doses  of  sulphur  and  liver  of  sulphur,  repeated  at 
long  intervals. 

§  243.  A  certain  malignant  form  of  intermittents, 
which  attack  single  individuals  not  residing  in  marshy 
localities,  are  to  be  treated  in  the  beginning  like  other 
acute  diseases  (which,  like  •  intermittents,  are  of  psoric 
origin),  by  selecting  for  the  special  case,  a  homoeopathic 
remedy  from  the  class  of  non-antipsoric  medicines ;  this 
remedy  should  be  continued  for  several  days,  for  the 
purpose  of  reducing  the  disease  as  far  as  possible.  But 


170  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING. 

if  the  disease  does  not  yield  to  the  treatment,  we  may  be 
assured  that  psora  is  in  the  act  of  development  and 
that  antipsoric  medicines  alone  will  afford  perfect  relief 
in  the  case. 

§  244.  Intermittent  fevers,  which  are  indigenous  to 
marshy  regions,  or  places  subject  to  inundations,  try  the 
patience  of  the  old-school  physician ;  and  yet  young  and 
healthy  persons  may  become  accustomed  to  marshy  re- 
gions, and  remain  healthy  if  their  habits  are  temperate, 
and  if  they  are  not  weakened  by  want,  fatigue,  or  excesses. 
Endemic  intermittents  will  attack  such  persons  only  as 
new-comers;  but  one  or  two  of  the  smallest  doses  of 
highly  potentiated  Cinchona  will  easily  rid  him  of  the 
"fever,  provided  his  mode  of  life  is  simple.  However,  if 
persons  accustomed  to  proper  physical  exercise,  and  to 
wholesome  bodily  and  mental  habits,  are  not  relieved  of 
marsh  intermittents  by  one  or  two  of  such  small  doses  of 
Cinchona,  they  are  always  based  upon  psora  ready  to  be 
developed.  And  hence  such  persons  cannot  be  cured 
of  intermittents  in  a  marshy  region  without  antipsoric 
treatment.  [125]  Occasionally  patients  of  this  kind,  if 
they  speedily  move  from  a  marshy  district  to  a  dry, 
mountainous  locality,  will  apparently  recover,  provided 
the  disease  is  not  too  deeply  seated,  i.  e.,  if  psora  is  not 
yet  fully  developed,  so  that  it  might  again  assume,  its 
latent  state;  such  patients,  however,  will  never  be  restored 
to  perfect  health  without  antipsoric  treatment. 

§  245.  Now  that  we  have  learned  the  rules  to  be  fol- 
lowed during  homoeopathic  treatment  concerning  the 
main  differences  of  diseases,  and  the  particular  circum- 
stances attending  such  diseases,  we  come  to  the  consider- 


ORGAJSTON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  171 

ation  of  curative  remedies,  their  mode  of  application,  and 
the  dietetic  rules  to  be  observed. 

Perceptible  and  continued  progress  of  improvement  in 
an  acute  or  chronic  disease,  is  a  condition  which,  as  Ion** 

7  O 

as  it  lasts,  invariably  counterindicates  the  repetition  of 
any  medicine  whatever,  because  the  beneficial  effect  which 
the  medicine  continues  to  exert  is  rapidly  approaching 
its  perfection.  Under  these  circumstances  every  new 
dose  of  any  medicine,  even  of  the  last  one  that  proved 
beneficial,  would  disturb  the  process  of  recovery. 

§  246.  .A  very  fine  dose  of  a  well-selected  homoeopathic 
remedy,  if  uninterrupted  in  its  action,  will  gradually  ac- 
complish all  of  the  curative  effect  it  is  capable  of  pro- 
ducing, in  a  period  varying  from  forty  to  one  hun- 
dred days.  But  it  rarely  is  interrupted,  and  besides,  the 
physician  as  well  as  the  patient  usually  desire  to  acceler- 
ate the  cure  by  reducing  this  period  of  time,  if  possible, 
by  one-half,  one-quarter,  or  even  less.  Experience  has 
proved  in  numerous  instances  that  such  a  result  may 
actually  be  obtained  under  the  following  three  conditions : 
First,  by  careful  selection  of  the  most  appropriate  homoeo- 
pathic medicine;  secondly,  by  administering  the  medi- 
cine in  the  finest  dose  capable  of  restoring  the  vital  force 
to  harmonious  activity,  without  causing  violent  reaction; 
and,  thirdly,  by  repeating  the  finest  dose  of  an  accurately 
selected  medicine  at  proper  intervals,  [126]  such  as  are 
proved  by  experience  to  be  most  conducive  to  a  speedy 
cure,  and  timed  so  as  to  prevent  an  injurious  and  revul- 
sive counteraction  of  the  vital  force,  whose  action  is  to  be 
tempered  and  modified  in  accordance  with  the  morbific 
power  of  the  medicine  which  is  similar  in  effect  to  the 
natural  disease. 


172  ORGANON   OF  THE   ART  OF    HEALING. 

§  247.  Under  these  conditions  the  finest  doses  of  the 
most  nicely  selected  homoeopathic  medicine  may  be  re- 
peated with  excellent,  and  often  astonishing  effect,  at  in- 
tervals of  fourteen,  twelve,  ten,  eight,  or  seven  days.  In 
chronic  diseases  assuming  an  acute  form,  and  demanding 
greater  haste,  these  spaces  of  time  may  be  abbreviated 
still  more,  but  in  acute  diseases  the  remedies  may  be  re- 
peated at  much  shorter  intervals ;  for  instance,  twenty- 
four,  twelve,  eight,  or  four  hours ;  and  in  the  most  acute 
diseases  at  intervals  varying  from  an  hour  to  five  min- 
utes. These  periods  are  always  to  be  determined  by  the 
more  or  less  acute  course  of  the  disease,  and  by  the  nature 
of  the  remedy  employed,  in  accordance  with  the  more 
definite  directions  given  in  the  explanatory  note  to  the 
preceding  paragraph. 

§  248.  The  dose  of  the  same  medicine  is  to  be  repeated 
several  times  if  necessary,  but  only  until  recovery  ensues, 
or  until  the  remedy  ceases  to  produce  improvement ;  at 
that  period  the  remainder  of  the  disease,  having  suffered 
a  change  in  its  group  of  symptoms,  requires  another 
homoeopathic  medicine. 

§  249.  Every  medicine  which,  in  the  course  of  its  op- 
eration, produces  new  and  troublesome  symptoms  not 
peculiar  to  the  disease  to  be  cured,  is  incapable  of  effect- 
ing a  real  improvement,  [127]  and  is  not  to  be  considered 
as  homoeopathic  to  the  case.  If  the  aggravation  pro- 
duced by  this  medicine  is  very  perceptible,  it  should 
speedily  be  partially  counteracted  by  an  antidote  before 
prescribing  the  next  remedy,  which  is  to  be  selected  with 
greater  care  in  regard  to  its  similitude  to  the  case.  Or, 
if  the  accessory  symptoms  are  not  too  violent,  the  next 


ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  173 

remedy  should  be  given  at  once,  in  order  to  replace  the 
inappropriate  one. 

§  250.  If,  in  urgent  cases  the  observant  physician  be- 
comes convinced,  after  six  or  twelve  hours,  that  he  had 
been  mistaken  in  the  selection  of  his  last  remedy,  from 
the  fact  that  the  condition  of  the  patient  grows  worse 
from  hour  to  hour,  as  indicated  by  the  appearance  of 
new  symptoms,  however  slight  they  may  be,  he  will  be 
justified,  and  in  duty  bound,  to  repair  his  mistake  (§  167) 
by  selecting  and  administering  a  homoeopathic  remedy 
with  greater  care,  and  adapting  it  more  accurately  to  the 
new  state  of  the  case. 

§  251.  There  are  some  medicines  (e.  g.,  Ignatia  amara, 
Bryonia,  and  Khus  rad.,  and  in  some  respects  Bella- 
donna) whose  power  of  affecting  the  state  of  health  is 
evinced  principally  by  alternating  effects.  These  are 
symptoms  composed  of  partly  opposite  primary  effects. 
If,  after  the  exhibition  of  one  of  these  remedies,  not- 
withstanding its  most  careful  selection,  no  improvement 
is  to  be  observed,  this  will  soon  be  obtained  (in  a  few 
hours  in  acute  cases)  by  a  new  and  equally  fine  dose  of 
the  same  remedy.  [128] 

§  252.  But  if  it  should  appear  during  the  use  of  other 
medicines  that  a  properly  reduced  dose  of  homoeopathic 
(antipsoric)  medicine  does  not  produce  progressive  im- 
provement in  a  chronic  (psoric)  disease,  it  is  a  certain  in- 
dication that  the  cause  of  the  disease  still  continues  to  act, 
and  that  there  is  some  irregularity  of  regimen,  or  some 
other  injurious  influence  acting  upon  the  patient,  which 
must  be  removed  before  a  permanent  cure  can  be  accom- 
plished. 


174  ORGAXOX   OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALINU. 

§  253.  Although  not  visible  to  all,  the  condition  of 
the  mind,  and  the  general  behavior  of  the  patient  are 
among  the  most  certain  and  intelligible  signs  of  incipient 
improvement,  or  of  aggravation  in  all  diseases,  especially 
in  acute  ones.  Incipient  improvement,  however  slight, 
is  indicated  by  increased  sensation  of  comfort,  greater 
tranquillity  and  freedom  of  the  mind,  heightened  cour- 
age, and  a  return  of  naturalness  in  the  feelings  of  the 
patient.  The  signs  of  aggravation,  however  slight  they 
may  be,  are  the  opposite  of  the  preceding,  and  consist  in 
an  embarrassed,  helpless  state  of  mind,  while  the  deport- 
ment, attitude,  and  actions  of  the  patient  appeal  to  our 
sympathy.  This  condition  is  readily  to  be  seen,  or  dem- 
onstrated to  a  careful  observer,  but  not  to  be  described  in 
so  many  words.  [129] 

§  254.  A  physician  accustomed  to  close  observation, 
will  experience  no  great  difficulty  in  distinguishing  ag- 
gravation from  improvement,  by  the  appearance  of  new 
symptoms,  by  an  increase  of  those  already  present,  or  by 
the  diminution  of  the  original  symptoms  undisturbed  by 
new  ones,  although  patients  are  met  with  who  are  in- 
capable of  reporting,  or  disinclined  to  acknowledge  either 
an  improvement  or  an  aggravation. 

§  255.  The  truth  may  be  ascertained  in  such  cases  by 
examining  the  patient  closely  upon  every  symptom  con- 
tained in  the  written  record  of  the  case.  If  these  show 
that  neither  new  and  unusual  symptoms  have  appeared, 
and  that  none  of  the  old  ones  have  increased,  and  espe- 
cially if  the  state  of  the  mind  and  disposition  is  found  to 
be  improved,  the  medicine  must  have  also  produced  an 
essential  and  general  improvement  of  the  disease ;  or,  if 
sufficient  time  had  not  been  allowed  for  the  action  of  the 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEALING.  175 

medicine,  such  an  improvement  may,  at  all  events,  soon 
be  expected.  But  if  visible  improvement  is  delayed  be- 
yond expectation,  supposing  the  remedy  to  have  been 
appropriate,  the  delay  should  be  ascribed  to  some  fault 
in  the  regimen  of  the  patient,  or  to  the  protracted  homoeo- 
pathic aggravation  produced  by  the  medicine  (§  157), 
and  hence  the  delay  must  finally  be  attributed  to  insuffi- 
cient reduction  of  the  dose. 

§  256.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  patient  mentions 
some  new  and  important  symptoms,  this  indicates  that 
the  medicine  had  not  been  homoeopathically  selected,  and 
though  the  invalid  may  kindly  assure  us  that  he  is  im- 
proving in  health,  his  statement  is  not  to  be  implicitly 
trusted,  but  his  condition  is  rather  to  be  considered  as 
having  undergone  a  change  for  the  worse,  which  will  SOOB 
become  quite  apparent. 

§  257.  A  true  physician  will  know  how  to  avoid  the 
habit  of  considering  certain  remedies  as  favorites,  merely 
because  he  happened  to  find  them  frequently  adapted  to 
diseases,  and  followed  by  favorable  results.  Such  a  habit 
would  lead  to  the  neglect  of  other  medicines  which, 
though  less  frequently  applicable,  might,  nevertheless,  be 
often  more  homoeopathic,  and  consequently  more  bene- 
ficial. 

§  258.  Nor  should  a  physician  yield  to  doubt  and 
weakness  so  far  as  to  reject  those  medicines  which  now 
and  then  proved  to  be  inefficacious,  owing  to  improper 
selection,  or  because  they  were  unhomosopathic  to  some 
particular  case  of  disease.  For,  in  either  instance  the 
fault  is  the  physician's,  or  the  supposition  a  wrong  one; 
he  will  remember  that  of  all  medicines  that  one  only  de- 


176  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

serves  attention  and  preference,  which  bears  accurate 
similitude  to  the  totality  of  characteristic  symptoms  of 
the  case,  and  that  paltry  prejudices  should  never -be 
allowed  to  interfere  with  the  serious  deliberation  de- 
manded by  the  choice  of  a  remedy. 

§  259.  The  minuteness  of  the  dose  required  in  homoeo- 
pathic practice,  makes  it  necessary  that  every  other  kind 
of  medicinal  influence  that  might  cause  a  disturbance 
should  be  avoided  in  the  diet  and  regimen  of  patients, 
in  order  that  the  highly  rarified  dose  may  not  be  coun- 
teracted, overpowered,  or  disturbed  by  extraneous  me- 
dicinal influences.  [130] 

§  260.  In  chronic  cases,  therefore,  it  is  especially  nec- 
essary to  search  carefully  for  such  impediments  to  the 
cure,  because  these  diseases  are  frequently  aggravated  by 
obscure  noxious  influences  of  that  kind,  as  well  as  by 
errors  in  regimen  which,  being  frequently  overlooked, 
exercise  a  deleterious  effect.  [131] 

§  261.  The  proper  regimen  to  be  enjoined  during  the 
use  of  medicines  in  chronic  diseases,  consists  in  the  re- 
moval of  all  obstacles  in  the  way  of  recovery,  and  in 
the  substitution  of  a  wholesome  mode  of  life,  such  as 
innocent  recreation  of  the  mind,  active  exercise  in  the 
open  air  in  all  kinds  of  weather  (daily  walks,  light 
manual  labor),  proper  nutritious  food  and  drink  unadul- 
terated with  medicinal  substances. 

§  262.  In  acute  diseases,  on  the  contrary  (insanity 
excepted)  the  fine,  unerring  inner  sense  of  the  active 
instinct  of  self-preservation  will  decide  the  course  to  be 
pursued  so  clearly,  that  the  physician  will  only  have  to 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  177 

advise  the  friends  and  attendants  to  obey  this  voice  of 
nature  by  gratifying  the  patient's  ardent  desires,  without 
offering  and  urging  him  to  accept  hurtful  things. 

§  263.  The  food  and  drink  most  commonly  craved  by 
patients  suffering  from  acute  diseases,  is  generally  of  a 
palliative  and  soothing  kind,  and  not  properly  of  a  me- 
dicinal nature,  but  merely  adapted  to  the  gratification  of  a 
certain  longing.  Slight  obstacles  which  moderate  grati- 
fication might  place  in  the  way  of  recovery, [132]  are 
more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  power  of  a  homoeo- 
pathic medicine,  by  the  vital  force  liberated  by  the  medi- 
cine, and  by  the  refreshing  effect  of  a  gratified  desire. 
In  acute  diseases  the  temperature  of  the  chamber,  and 
the  quantity  of  covering  should  be  regulated  entirely 
according  to  the  wishes  of  the  patient ;  while  every  kind 
of  mental  exertion,  and  emotional  disturbance  is  to  be 
carefully  avoided. 

§  264.  The  physician  should  have  at  his  disposal  only 
genuine  and  unadulterated  medicines,  retaining  their  full 
virtues;  in  order  that  he  may  rely  entirely  on  their 
curative  powers,  he  should  be  previously  assured  of  their 
genuineness. 

§  265.  He  should  most  conscientiously  assure  himself 
in  every  instance,  that  the  patient  takes  the  remedy  se- 
lected for  him. 

§  266.  Substances  derived  from  the  animal  and  vege- 
table kingdoms,  in  their  crude  state  possess  the  strongest 
medicinal  properties.  [133] 

§  267.  The  active  principles  of  indigenous  and  freshly 

12 


178  ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

gathered  plants,  are  most  perfectly  obtained  by  mixing 
their  expressed  juico  at  once  with  equal  parts  of  strong 
alcohol.  Having  waited  twenty-four  hours  for  the  fibri- 
nous  and  albuminous  matter  to  subside  in  the  liquid  con- 
tained in  well-stoppered  bottles,  the  clear  fluid  is  de- 
canted and  preserved  for  medicinal  use.  [134]  By  the 
admixture  of  alcohol,  fermentation  of  vegetable  juice  is 
at  once  arrested,  and  absolutely  prevented  for  the  future, 
and  its  medicinal  powers  are  thus  preserved  without 
danger  of  deterioration,  for  all  times,  in  well-corked 
bottles,  protected  from  sunlight.  [135] 

§  268.  Powdered  barks,  seeds,  and  roots  of  foreign 
plants  which  cannot  be  obtained  in  their  fresh  condition, 
should  not  be  used  without  assurance  of  their  genuine- 
ness ;  this  may  be  ascertained  by  examining  these  drugs 
in  their  crude  and  entire  state,  before  making  the  least 
medicinal  use  of  them.  [136] 

§  269.  To  serve  the  purposes  of  homoeopathy,  the 
spiritlike  medicinal  powers  of  crude  substances  are  de- 
veloped to  an  unparalleled  degree  by  means  of  a  process 
which  was  never  attempted  before,  and  which  causes 
medicines  to  penetrate  the  organism,  and  thus  to  become 
more  efficacious  and  remedial ;  it  is  applicable  even  to 
those  substances  which,  in  their  crude  state,  do  not  evince 
the  least  medicinal  effect  upon  the  human  body. 

§  270.  Thus,  two  drops  of  the  fresh  vegetable  juice 
mixed  with  an  equal  proportion  of  alcohol,  are  diluted 
with  98  drops  of  alcohol,  and  potentiated  by  two  succus- 
sions  of  the  hand  ;  this  is  the  first  development  of  power 
(potency).  The  same  process  is  then  to  be  repeated  with 
29  successive  vials,  each  vial  to  contain  99  drops  of  alco- 


ORGANON    OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALING. 

hol,  filling  three-quarters  of  the  vial ;  this  second  vial  is 
then  to  be  shaken  twice,  [137]  and  so  on  to  the  30th  de- 
velopment of  power;  this  is  the  potentiated  decillion- 
fold  dilution  (X),  and  the  one  to  be  commonly  used. 

§  271.  With  the  exception  of  sulphur,  which,  of  late 
has  been  used  only  in  the  form  of  highly  diluted  tinc- 
ture (X),  all  other  substances  destined  for  medicinal 
use,  such  as  pure  metals,  their  oxides  or  sulphurets,  and 
other  minerals ;  also  petroleum,  phosphorus,  and  many 
animal  and  vegetable  substances,  which  are  only  to  be 
obtained  in  a  dried  state ;  neutral  salts,  etc.,  are  all  first 
to  be  potentiated  to  the  million-fold  dry  or  powder- 
dilution,  by  triturating  them  for  three  hours;  thereupon, 
one  grain  of  the  trituration  is  to  be  dissolved,  and  diluted 
in  twenty-seven  successive  vials,  up  to  the  30th  potency, 
or  development  of  power.  [138] 

§  272.  In  the  treatment  of  disease,  only  one  simple 
medicinal  substance  should  be  used  at  a  time. [139] 

§  273.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  why  there  should 
be  the  least  doubt  as  to  whether  it  is  more  natural  and 
rational  to  prescribe  a  single  well-known  medicine  at  a 
time  for  a  disease,  or  to  give  a  mixture  composed  of 
several  different  medicines. 

§  274.  Perfectly  simple,  unmixed,  and  single  remedies 
afford  the  physician  all  the  advantages  he  could  possibly 
desire.  He  is  enabled  to  cure  natural  diseases  safely  and 
permanently  through  the  homoeopathic  affinity  of  these 
artificial  moi  bific  potencies ;  and  in  obedience  to  the  wise 
maxim  that  "it  is  useless  to  apply  a  multiplicity  of 
means,  where  simplicity  will  accomplish  the  end,"  he 


180  ORGAXOX   OF   THE    ART   OF   HEALING. 

will  never  think  of  giving  more  than  one  simple  medi- 
cine at  a  time.  Even  in  taking  it  for  granted  that  all 
simple  medicines  were  completely  proved  with  regard  to 
their  pure  and  peculiar  action  upon  the  healthy  human 
body,  the  physician  would  abstain  from  mixing  and  com- 
pounding drugs,  aware  that  it  is  impossible  to  foresee 
the  variety  of  effects,  that  two  or  more  medicines,  con- 
tained in  a  mixture,  might  have ;  or  how  one  might 
modify  and  counteract  the  effect  of  the  other,  when  in- 
troduced into  the  human  body.  It  is  equally  certain,  on 
the  other  hand,  that  a  simple  medicine,  well  selected,  will 
by  itself,  be  quite  sufficient  to  give  relief  in  diseases 
whereof  the  totality  of  symptoms  is  accurately  known. 
Supposing,  even,  that  a  medicine  had  not  been  selected 
quite  in  accordance  with  the  similitude  of  symptoms, 
and  that,  consequently,  it  did  not  alleviate  the  disease,  it 
would  nevertheless  be  useful  by  adding  to  our  knowl- 
edge of  curative  remedies.  By  calling  forth  new  symp- 
toms in  such  a  case,  the  medicine  might  corroborate  those 
symptoms  which  it  had  already  manifested  in  experi- 
ments upon  healthy  persons — an  advantage  which  is  not 
to  be  gained  by  the  use  of  compound  medicines. [140] 

§  275.  The  fitness  of  a  medicine  in  a  given  case  of 
disease,  does  not  depend  alone  upon  its  accurate  homoeo- 
pathic selection,  but  also  upon  the  requisite  and  proper 
size,  or  rather  minuteness  of  the  dose.  Too  strong  a 
dose  of  medicine,  though  quite  homoeopathic,  notwith- 
standing its  remedial  nature,  will  necessarily  produce  an 
injurious  effect.  Its  quantity,  as  well  as  its  homoeopathic 
similitude,  will  produce  an  unnecessary  surplus  of  effect 
upon  the  over-excited  vital  force;  which,  in  its  turn, 
acts  upon  the  most  sensitive  portions  of  the  organism, 
already  most  seriously  affected  by  the  natural  disease. 


ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING.  181 

§  2/6.  For  this  reason,  too  large  a  dose  of  medicine, 
though  homoeopathic  to  the  case,  will  be  injurious ;  not 
only  in  direct  proportion  to  the  largeness  of  the  dose, 
but  also  in  proportion  to  its  homoeopathic  similitude,  and 
to  the  degree  of  potentiation  of  the  medicine; [141]  and 
it  will  prove  to  be  far  more  injurious  than  an  equally 
large  dose  of  unhomceopathic  medicine  in  every  respect 
unsuited  (allopathic)  to  the  disease.  In  that  case,  the  so- 
called  homoeopathic  aggravation  (i.  e.,  the  artificial  and 
similar  drug-disease,  called  forth  in  the  diseased  parts  of 
the  body  by  the  excessive  dose,  and  the  reacting  vital 
force,  §§  157-1 60),  will  rise  to  an  injurious  height  ;[142] 
while  the  same  similar  drug-disease,  if  excited  within 
proper  limits,  would  have  gently  effected  a  cure.  Al- 
though the  patient  will  no  longer  suffer  from  the  original 
disease  which  had  been  homceopathically  cured,  yet  he 
will  have  to  endure  the  exaggerated  drug-disease,  and 
unnecessary  loss  of  strength. 

§  277.  For  these  reasons,  and  also  because  a  medicine 
is  of  great  efficacy  when  it  is  quite  homoeopathic  to  the 
case,  its  curative  power  will  be  wonderfully  increased  in 
proportion  to  the  reduction  of  the  dose  to  that  degree  of 
minuteness,  at  which  it  will  exert  a  gentle  curative  in- 
fluence. 

§  278.  Here  the  question  arises,  as  to  the  proper  de- 
gree of  reduction  at  which  a  medicine  will  procure  cer- 
tain as  well  as  gentle  relief?  That  is  to  say,  how  small 
must  the  dose  be  of  each  homoeopathically  selected  medi- 
cine, in  order  to  fulfil  the  requirements  of  a  perfect  cure. 
To  determine  the  dose  of  each  particular  medicine  for 
this  purpose,  and  how  to  render  this  dose  so  small  as  to 
accomplish  its  purpose  gently  and  rapidly  at  the  same 


182  ORGANOX   OF   THE    ART   OF    HEALING. 

time,  is  a  problem  which,  obviously,  is  neither  to  be 
solved  by  theoretical  conjecture,  nor  by  sophistic  reason- 
ing. Pure  experiments,  and  accurate  observation  alone 
can  solve  the  question ;  and  it  were  folly  to  adduce  the 
large  doses  of  the  old  school  (destitute  of  homoeopathic 
bearing  upon  the  diseased  portion  of  the  body,  and 
affecting  only  the  sound  parts),  to  disprove  the  results 
of  actual  experience  in  regard  to  the  minuteness  of  doses 
requisite  to  perform  a  homoeopathic  cure. 

§  279.  Experience  proves  that  the  dose  of  a  homoso- 
pathically  selected  remedy  cannot  be  reduced  so  far  as 
to  be  inferior  in  strength  to  the  natural  disease,  and  to 
lose  its  power  of  extinguishing  and  curing  at  least  a  por- 
tion of  the  same,  provided  that  this  dose,  immediately 
after  having  been  taken,  is  capable  of  causing  a  slight 
intensification  of  symptoms  of  the  similar  natural  disease 
(slight  homoeopathic  aggravation,  §§  157-160).  This 
will  prove  to  be  the  case  in  acute,  chronic,  and  even  com- 
plicated diseases,  except  where  these  depend  on  serious 
deterioration  of  some  vital  organ,  or  where  the  patient 
is  not  protected  against  extraneous  medicinal  influences. 

§  280.  This  incontrovertible  principle,  founded  on  ex- 
perience, furnishes  a  standard  according  to  which  the 
doses  of  homosopathic  medicine  are  invariably  to  be  re- 
duced so  far,  that  even  after  having  been  taken,  they  will 
merely  produce  an  almost  imperceptible  homoeopathic 
aggravation.  We  should  not  be  deterred  from  the  use 
of  such  doses  by  the  high  degree  of  rarefaction  that  may 
have  been  reached,  however  incredible  they  may  appear 
to  the  coarse  material  ideas  of  ordinary  practition- 
ers ;[143]  their  arguments  will  be  silenced  by  the  verdict 
of  infallible  experience. 


ORGAXOX   OF  THE   ART  OF   HEALING.  183 

§  281.  In  point  of  his  disease,  every  patient  is  most 
susceptible  to  the  influence  of  medicine,  by  virtue  of  the 
similitude  of  its  effect  to  the  disease ;  and  there  is  no 
person,  however  robust,  afflicted  with  a  chronic,  or  so- 
called  local  disease,  who  would  not  soon  perceive  the 
desired  effect  in  the  diseased  part  of  his  body,  after 
having  taken  the  most  minute  dose  of  the  appropriate 
homoeopathic  remedy  ;  in  other  words,  an  adult  patient 
is  more  easily  affected  by  such  a  dose,  than  a  healthy  in- 
fant a  day  old.  In  view  of  the  infallible  proofs  of  expe- 
rience, incredulity  founded  only  upon  theories,  is  truly 
insignificant  and  ridiculous. 

§  282.  The  smallest  possible  dose  of  homoeopathic 
medicine,  just  strong  enough  to  create  the  slightest  ho- 
moeopathic aggravation  (because  it  is  capable  of  produc- 
ing symptoms  which  owe  their  power  over  disease  to 
their  similitude,  as  well  as  to  their  minuteness),  will 
operate  chiefly  upon  the  diseased  parts  of  the  body, 
which  have  become  extremely  susceptible  of  a  stimulus 
so  similar  to  their  own  disease.  The  small  dose  will 
change  the  vital  action  of  these  parts  into  an  artificial 
disease,  very  similar,  though  somewhat  superior  to  the 
natural  disease,  and  will  cause  the  former  to  take  the 
place  of  the  latter.  The  organism  will  now  contend 
with  the  artificial  drug  disease  alone,  which,  according  to 
its  nature,  and  owing  to  the  minuteness  of  the  dose  by 
which  it  was  produced,  will  soon  be  extinguished  by  the 
vital  force  striving  to  gain  its  normal  condition;  and 
particularly  in  acute  diseases,  the  organism  will  be  freed 
from  morbid  processes,  and  restored  to  a  healthy  state. 

§  283.  Proceeding  quite  in  accordance  with  nature,  the 
trie  physician  will  prescribe  his  well-selected  horaoeo- 


134  ORGANOX   OF   THE   ART  OF   HEALING. 

pathic  medicine  in  a  dose  so  small  as  to  be  just  sufficient 
to  overcome  and  extinguish  the  disease.  But  as  human 
skill  and  caution  sometimes  fail  in  the  selection  of  the 
remedy,  the  smallness  of  the  dose  will  certainly  prevent 
serious  injury ;  for  the  amount  of  disturbance  arising 
from  want  of  similitude  and  careful  selection,  would  be 
so  slight  in  consequence  of  so  minute  a  dose,  that  the 
effect  would  soon  be  extinguished,  or  repaired  by  the 
natural  vital  powers,  as  well  as  by  the  speedy  adminis- 
tration of  an  equally  small  dose  of  a  more  carefully 
chosen  and  similar  remedy. 

§  284.  The  effect  of  a  homosopathic  dose  is  not  lessened 
in  equal  proportion  with  the  diminution  of  the  medicinal 
substance  contained  in  a  dilution.  A  dose  of  eight  drops 
of  some  medicinal  tincture,  does  not  produce  four  times 
as  great  an  effect  in  the  human  body,  as  two  drops  would 
produce;  but  the  effect  would  be  only  about  twice  as 
great  as  that  of  a  two-drop  dose.  Hence,  if  one  drop  of 
a  tincture  is  mixed  with  ten  drops  of  non-medicinal 
liquid,  and  if  one  drop  of  this  is  .administered,  its  effect 
will  not  be  ten  times  greater  than  that  of  one  drop  of  a 
mixture  ten  times  more  dilute;  but  the  effect  will  be 
scarcely  double.  The  same  proportion  continues  to  be 
observed,  so  that  one  drop,  even  of  the  highest  dilution, 
may,  and  actually  does  produce  a  very  perceptible 
effect.  [144] 

§  285.  In  homoeopathic  practice  the  diminution  of  the 
dose  and  of  effect  is  also  conveniently  accomplished  by 
lessening  the  volume  of  the  dose ;  that  is,  by  giving  a 
small  fraction, [145]  instead  of  a  whole  drop  at  a  dose, 
of  some  medicinal  dilution.  This  diminution  of  effect  ie 
readily  explained  by  the  fact  that  a  smaller  number  of 


ORGANON   OF   THE   ART   OF   HEAXJNG.  185 

nerves  come  in  contact  with  the  medicine  after  the  vol- 
ume of  its  dose  is  divided,  and  although  the  power  of 
the  medicine  is  lessened,  it  is  imparted  to  the  whole  or- 
ganism. 

§  286.  On  the  other  hand,  the  effect  of  a  homoeopathic 
dose  is  augmented  by  increasing  the  quantity  of  fluid  in 
which  the  medjcine  is  dissolved  preparatory  to  its  ad- 
ministration, while  the  actual  quantity  of  medicinal  sub- 
stance remains  the  same.  In  using  a  solution  of  this 
kind,  a  much  greater  surface  supplied  with  sensitive 
nerves,  susceptible  of  medicinal  influence,  is  brought  in 
contact  with  the  medicine.  Although  theorists  may  sup- 
pose that  the  dilution  of  a  dose  with  a  greater  quantity 
of  fluid  would  lessen  the  effect,  nevertheless  experience 
in  the  homosopathic  use  of  medicines,  proves  exactly  the 
opposite.  [146] 

§  287.  When  it  appears  desirable,  before  its  exhibition, 
to  augment  the  effect  of  a  dose  by  mixing  it  with  a 
greater  quantity  of  fluid,  it  would  make  a  considerable 
difference  whether  the  medicinal  substance  of  the  dose  is 
imperfectly  mixed  with  a  certain  quantity  of  liquid,  or 
whether  it  is  equally  and  intimately  [147]  imparted  to 
every  particle  of  solvent  fluid.  In  the  latter  case  the 
solution  would  be  far  more  efficacious  than  in  the  former. 
This  will  serve  as  a  rule  for  the  preparation  of  homoeo- 
pathic doses,  and  the  diminution  of  their  medicinal  effect 
in  the  treatment  of  very  sensitive  patients.  [148] 

§  288.  The  effect  of  medicines^  in  liquid  form  [149] 
penetrates  and  spreads  through  all  parts  of  the  organism 
with  such  inconceivable  rapidity,  from  the  point  of  contact 
with  the  sensitive  nerves  supplying  the  tissues,  that  this 


186  ORGANON    OF   THE   ART   OF    HEALING. 

effect  may,  with  propriety,  be  defined  as  spirit-like  (dy- 
namic or  virtual). 

§  289.  Every  part  of  the  body,  endowed  with  sensi- 
tive nerves,  is  capable  of  receiving  the  influence  of  medi- 
cines, and  of  transmitting  their  power  to  all  other 
parts.  [150] 

§  290.  Besides  the  stomach,  the  tongue  and  mouth 
are  the  parts  most  susceptible  of  medicinal  impressions ; 
but  the  lining  membrane  of  the  nose  possesses  this  sus- 
ceptibility in  a  high  degree.  Also  the  rectum,  genitals, 
and  all  sensitive  organs  of  our  body  are  almost  equally 
susceptible  of  medicinal  effects.  For  this  reason,  parts 
denuded  of  cuticle,  wounded  and  ulcerated  surfaces,  will 
allow  the  effect  of  medicines  to  penetrate  quite  as  readily 
as  if  they  had  been  administered  by  the  mouth,  and 
therefore  olfaction  or  inhalation  must  be  still  more  effi- 
cacious. 

§  291.  Parts  of  the  body  deprived  of  their  natural 
sense,  e.  g.,  in  the  absence  of  the  sense  of  taste  or  smell, 
the  tongue,  palate,  and  nose  will  impart  impressions 
made  primarily  on  these  organs,  with  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  perfection  to  all  other  organs  of  the  body. 

§  292.  Also  the  external  surface  of  the  body,  covered 
by  the  cutis  and  cuticle,  is  capable  of  receiving  the  ac- 
tion particularly  of  liquid  medicines ;  and  the  most  sen- 
sitive parts  of  the  surface  are,  at  the  same  time,  the 
most  susceptible. [151] 


NOTES  AND  EXPLANATORY  REMARKS 

APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON. 


[1]  \  1.  BUT  not  the  habit  (with  which  many  physicians  have 
wasted  their  time  in  search  of  fame),  of  concocting  so-called  systems 
out  of  certain  empty  vagaries  and  hypotheses,  concerning  the  inner  ob- 
scure nature  of  the  process  of  life,  or  the  origin  of  diseases  ;  not  the 
innumerable  attempts  at  explaining  the  phenomena  of  diseases  or  their 
proximate  cause,  etc.,  ever  hidden  from  their  scrutiny,  which  were 
clothed  in  unintelligible  words  or  as  a  mass  of  abstract  phrases,  in- 
tended for  the  astonishment  of  the  ignorant ;  while  suffering  humanity 
was  sighing  for  help.  We  have  more  than  enough  of  such  learned  ab- 
surdities called  theoretical  medicine,  having  its  own  professorships,  and 
it  is  high  time  for  those  who  call  themselves  physicians,  to  cease  delud- 
ing poor  humanity  by  idle  words,  but  to  begin  to  act,  that  is,  to  help 
and  to  heal. 

[2]  \  6.  Hence,  I  cannot  conceive  how  it  was  possible  to  go  to  the 
bedside  of  a  patient,  and  without  carefully  noting  the  symptoms,  and 
being  governed  by  them,  to  seek  for  the  object  of  treatment  in  the  ob- 
scure and  invisible  interior  of  the  case.  Neither  can  I  understand  how 
it  was  possible  to  pretend  that  the  invisible,  interior  changes  could  be 
found  and  corrected  by  means  of  (unknown  !)  drugs,  without  careful 
consideration  of  symptoms,  and  that  such  could  be  "called  the  only 
thorough  and  rational  curative  method. 

Do  not  the  sensibly  discernible  signs  of  disease  represent  the  disease 
itself  to  the  physician  ?  He  cannot  see  the  vital  power  itself,  at  work 
with  immaterial  forces,  creating  the  disease  ;  and  without  seeing  vitality 
itself,  he  need  only  observe  and  experience  its  morbid  effects  in  order  to 
cure  the  disease.  Why,  then,  must  the  old  school  seek  another  prima 
causa  morbi  in  the  obscure  interior,  while  distinct  sensible  manifesta- 
tions of  disease,  plainly  appealing  to  us  through  symptoms,  are  con- 

(  187  } 


188  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY    KBMARKS 

temptuously  rejected  as  unworthy  objects  of  cure.    Does  a  cure  remove 
anything  besides  these  ?* 

[3]  11,  As  a  matter  of  course,  every  sensible  physician  will  re- 
move such  causes  at  first ;  after  which,  the  illness  will  generally  subside 
of  its  own  accord.  He  will  remove  from  the  sick-room  flowers  that 
may  produce  faintness  or  hysteria  by  their  strong  exhalations ;  he 
will  extract  irritating  particles  causing  inflammation  of  the  cornea;  re- 
apply  to  a  wounded  limb  a  bandage  threatening  gangrene,  too  tightly 
applied  ;  he  will  avert  the  danger  of  a  haemorrhage,  by  exposing  and 
tying  the  wounded  artery  ;  he  will  endeavor  to  expel  Belladonna  ber- 
ries from  the  stomach  by  emetics  ;  extract  foreign  substances  that  may 
have  penetrated  into  the  apertures  of  the  body  (nose,  oesophagus,  ears, 
urethra,  rectum,  vulva),  crush  a  calculus,  and  open  the  occlusion  of  the 
anus  of  a  newborn  child,  etc. 

[4]  £  8.  It  has  ever  been  the  habit  of  the  old  school,  not  knowing 
how  else  to  proceed,  to  single  out  one  of  the  numerous  symptoms  of  a 
disease  for  the  purpose  of  attacking,  and,  if  possible,  of  suppressing  it 
by  medicines ;  an  abortive  procedure  having  justly  excited  universal 
contempt  under  the  name  of  symptomatic  treatment,  by  which  nothing 
is  gained  but  much  is  sacrificed.  A  single  symptom  is  110  more  the 
disease  itself,  than  a  foot  can  be  taken  for  the  entire  body.  Such  a  pro- 
cedure was  the  more  objectionable,  because  it  was  the  practice  to  treat 
such  a  single  symptom  only  by  an  opposite  remedy  (enantiopathic  and 
palliative),  whereby,  after  a  brief  space  of  relief,  it  was  made  to  return 
with  greater  intensity. 

[5]  §  8.  Whenever  a  patient  has  been  relieved  of  his  disease  by 
an  adept  of  the  true  healing  art,  in  such  a  manner  that  no  sign  or 
symptom  of  disease  is  left,  and  all  marks  of  health  have  permanently 
returned,  such  a  patient  cannot,  without  defying  common  sense,  be  said 
still  to  have  the  veritable  disease  dwelling  within  him.  Nevertheless, 
Hufeland,  the  leader  of  the  old  school,  asserts  this  in  the  following  words 
(v.  Homoeopathic,  p.  27,  L.  19)  :  "  Symptoms  can  be  relieved  by  homoeop- 
athy, but  the  disease  remains,"  and  this  assertion  is  made  partly  from 
grief  on  account  of  the  progress  of  homoeopathy,  for  the  benefit  of 
mankind,  and  partly  because  he  still  entertains  very  material  notions 
concerning  disease,  which  he  is  not  yet  able  to  consider  as  a  dynamic 

*  "  A  physician  striving  to  penetrate  the  inner  conditions  of  the  organ- 
ism may  err  every  day  ;  the  homoeopathist,  on  the  contrary,  after  having 
carefully  comprehended  the  totality  of  symptoms,  possesses  an  infallible 
guide,  and  when  he  has  succeeded  in  entirely  removing  all  the  symptoms,  he 
will  certainly  have  cancelled  the  internal  and  obscure  cause  of  disease.'-' — 
Kau,  loc.  cit.,  p.  103. 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGAXOX.      189 

change  in  the  being  of  the  organism,  effected  by  morbidly  altered 
vitality,  nor  as  a  modification  of  the  state  of  feeling.  He  looks  at  dis- 
ease as  a  material  thing,  which,  after  a  cure  has  been  effected,  may  still 
lurk  in  some  remote  corner  of  the  body,  whence  it  might  break  forth  in 
its  material  presence  at  will,  perhaps  during  a  period  of  perfect  health. 
So  great  is  still  the  blindness  of  old-school  pathologists.  No  wonder 
that  therapeutics  had  no  other  object  than  to  purge  the  patient. 

[6]  §  10.  The  organism  is  dead,  and  subject  only  to  the  forces  of 
the  material  external  world,  it  will  decay,  and  again  resolve  itself  into 
its  chemical  constituent  parts. 

[7]  \  12.  It  is  useless  for  the  physician  to  know  how  the  vital  force 
brings  about  or  creates  the  morbid  manifestations  of  the  organism,  and 
therefore  it  will  ever  remain  obscure ;  only  that  which  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  know  concerning  disease,  and  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of 
cure,  has  been  revealed  to  his  senses. 

[8]  \  17.  A  prophetic  dream,  a  superstition,  or  the  solemn  proph- 
ecy that  death  would  assuredly  occur  on  a  certain  day,  or  at  a  cer- 
tain hour,  has  not  infrequently  caused  the  appearance  of  every  sign 
of  approaching  and  increasing  fatal  disease,  or  of  death  itself  at  the 
designated  time ;  a  result  which  would  have  been  impossible,  without 
the  occurrence  of  an  internal  change  corresponding  with  the  externally 
visible  condition.  In  the  same  way,  all  morbid  signs  of  approaching 
death  were  frequently  dispelled,  and  health  suddenly  restored  by  an 
artful  deception,  or  convincing  denial.  This  would  have  been  equally 
impossible  without  the  effect  of  these  moral  remedies,  by  means  of 
which  the  death-bringing  internal  and  external  morbid  changes  were 
removed. 

[9]  ?  17.  And  thus,  the  goodness  of  Providence  was  made  known 
to  us  by  revealing  that  part  of  diseases  to  the  physician,  which  it  was 
his  duty  to  remove,  in  order  to  end  them,  and  to  reestablish  health. 
We  would  never  have  become  conscious,  of  Divine  goodness  and  wis- 
dom in  regard  to  diseases  if,  as  has  been  pretended  by  the  old  school 
(which  claims  the  power  of  divining  the  inner  nature  of  things),  that 
curable  part  of  them  had  been  hidden  from  our  senses  by  mysterious 
darkness,  and  secluded  in  the  interior  of  the  body,  making  it  impossible 
for  man  to  recognize  the  evil  distinctly,  and  equally  impossible  to 
cure  it. 

[10]  ?  22.  The  only  other  method  besides  the  two  above  named, 
of  prescribing  medicines  (the  allopathic  m^hod),  having  symptoms  of  no 


190  NOTES   AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

direct  specific  (pathical)  relation  to  the  diseased  condition  ;  and  which 
are  neither  similar  nor  opposed,  but  heterogeneous  to  the  symptoms  of 
the  disease ;  that  method,  as  I  have  shown  above  in  the  Introduction 
(Review  of  "  Physic,"  etc.),  is  merely  an  imperfect  and  pernicious  imita- 
tion of  the  hurtful  endeavors  of  the  unreasoning,  instinctive  vital  force, 
disturbed  by  hurtful  influences,  and  trying  to  regain  its  equilibrium  at 
all  hazards,  by  inciting  and  maintaining  a  diseased  condition  in  the  or- 
ganism. It  is  consequently  an  imitation  of  the  crude  vital  force,  created 
in  and  together  with  our  organism,  in  order  to  preserve  the  perfect 
harmony  of  life.  But  this  same  vital  force,  if  disturbed  during  disease, 
is  to  be  again  restored  to  the  harmony  of  health  by  the  (homoeopathic) 
interference  of  the  intelligent  physician.  It  is  not  meant  that  it  should 
cure  itself,  and  its  unsuccessful  attempts  are  quite  unworthy  of  imita- 
tion ;  because  all  changes  of  feeling  produced  by  the  disturbed  vital 
force  in  the  organism,  actually  constitute  the  disease  itself.  Still,  it 
would  be  as  improper  to  leave  this  inappropriate  practice  of  the  old 
school  of  medicine  unnoticed,  as  it  would  be  to  omit  in  the  history  of 
man  those  instances  of  oppression,  from  which  the  human  race  has 
suffered  for  thousands  of  years  under  despotic  and  unreasonable  gov- 
ernments. 

[11]  \  25.  I  do  not  mean  the  experience  boasted  of  by  ordinary 
practitioners  of  the  old  school,  who  have  wantonly  applied  a  lot  of 
complex  recipes  in  numerous  diseases  never  properly  investigated,  but 
dogmatically  considered  as  already  well  denned  by  pathology,  and  to 
contain  an  imaginary  morbific  matter,  or  some  other  hypothetical  in- 
ternal abnormity.  They  invariably  perceive  something,  without  know- 
ing what  it  is,  and  experience  results  which  no  man  can  single  out  from 
among  the  manifold  forces  acting  upon  the  unknown  object ;  no  iiseful 
knowledge  could  be  gained  from  such  results.  Fifty  years  of  such  ex- 
perience is  equal  to  gazing  for  fifty  years  into  a  kaleidoscope,  filled  with 
many  colored  unknown  things,  and  constantly  made  to  revolve — a 
thousand  changeable  forms,  but  no  clue  to  them  ! 

[12]  \  26.  In  this  manner  physical  affections  as  well  as  moral  evils 
are  cured.  How  does  Jupiter,  shining  brightly  in  the  morning  dawn, 
vanish  from  the  optic  nerve  of  the  beholder  ?  By  a  stronger  potency, 
the  brightness  of  approaching  day,  similar  in  its  action  upon  the  optic 
nerve.  By  what  are  the  olfactory  nerves  effectually  soothed  when  they 
have  been  offended  by  offensive  odors  ?  By  snuff,  which  is  similar  but 
stronger  in  its  action  upon  the  sense  of  smell.  Neither  music,  nor 
sweetmeats,  which  bear  a  relation  to  the  nerves  of  other  senses,  will 
cure  that  loathing  of  odors.  How  cunningly  the  soldier  knows  how  to 
guard  the  ears  of  the  bystanders,  from  the  whimpering  tones  of  one 
co»demne4  to  run  the  gauntlet — by  the  shrill  squeaking  fife,  accom- 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANO.V.      191 

panied  by  the  noisy  drum.  How  does  a  soldier  counteract  fear  created 
in  his  army,  by  the  distant  thunder  of  the  enemies'  guns  ?  By  the 
deep,  droning  sound  of  the  great  drum.  Neither  case  would  have 
been  remedied  by  the  distribution  of  glittering  accoutrements,  nor  by 
a  reprimanding  order  issued  to  the  regiment.  In  the  same  manner, 
grief  and  sorrow  are  extinguished  in  the  mind  by  more  intense,  real,' 
or  fictitious  affliction  of  another  person.  The  evil  consequences  of 
overjoy  are  relieved  by  coffee,  which  produces  a  feeling  of  excessive  joy 
fulness.  Nations  like  the  Germans,  degraded  for  centuries  by  listless 
apathy  and  abject  submissiveness,  were  to  be  trodden  in  the  dust  by 
the  Conqueror  from  the  West,  until  oppression  became  intolerable. 
Thus  their  feelings  of  self-degradation  were  overcome  and  neutralized, 
they  became  conscious  of  their  dignity  as  human  beings  once  more,  and 
again  could  lift  their  heads  as  German  men. 

[13]  |  29.  Artificial  morbific  potencies  which  we  call  medicines, 
though  stronger  than  natural  diseases,  are  nevertheless  more  easily 
overcome  by  the  vital  force,  owing  to  the  brief  period  of  action  of  these 
medicines  ;  Avhile  the  diseases  being  of  chronic  and  of  lifelong  duration 
(psora,  syphilis,  sycosis),  are  never  conquered  and  extinguished  by  the 
vital  power  alone,  until  the  physician  reinforces  it  by  means  of  a  similar, 
and,  therefore,  morbific  potency  (homeopathic  drug).  This,  when  taken 
internally  (or  by  olfaction)  is  forced,  as  it  were,  upon  the  instinctive 
vital  power,  and  substituted  in  the  place  of  the  hitherto  dominant 
natural  disease  ;  thereupon  the  vital  power  merely  remains  affected  by 
the  drug,  but  only  for  a  short  time  ;  because  the  effect  of  the  drug  (the 
space  of  time  required  by  the  drug-disease  to  run  its  course),  does  not 
continue  long.  Diseases  protracted  for  years,  which  have  been  cured 
by  an  eruption  of  small-pox  and  of  measles  (both  having  a  duration  of 
several  weeks),  are  processes  of  a  similar  nature. 

[14]  \  31.  When  I  designate  a  disease  as  a  modification  or  discord- 
ancy of  the  state  of  health  of  the  human  body,  I  am  far  from  presum- 
ing to  attempt  metaphysical  explanation  of  the  inner  nature  of  diseases 
in  general,  or  of  any  disease  in  particular.  Such  are  only  intended  tc 
indicate  what  diseases  evidently  are  not  and  cannot  be,  viz.,  not  me- 
chanical or  chemical  changes  of  the  material  body ;  nor  are  they  de- 
pendent on  material  morbific  matter,  but  merely  spiritual  dynamic  dis- 
turbances of  life. 

[15]  §  33.  A  notable  instance  of  this  kind  is,  that  previous  to  the 
year  1801,  the  smooth  form  of  scarlatina  of  Sydenham,  prevailed  from 
time  to  time  as  an  epidemic  among  children,  invariably  attacking  those 
who  had  not  suffered  from  it  during  a  previous  epidemic :  while,  during 
an  epidemic  like  the  one  I  witnessed  at  Konigslutter,  all  children  re- 


192  NOTES    AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

ruained  unaffected  by  this  highly  contagious  disea'se,  whenever  they  had 
taken  in  good  season,  a  very  small  dose  of  Belladonna.  If  drugs  can 
guard  against  infection  from  an  epidemic  disease,  they  must  necessarily 
possess  a  superior  power  of  modifying  our  vital  force. 

[16]  2  36.  Mtmoires  et  Observationes,  in  the  Description  de  VEgypte, 
Tom.  I. 

[17]  2  38.    Obs.,  lib.  I,  8. 

[18]  \  38.     In  Huf  eland's  Journal,  XV,  ii. 

[19]  ?  38.  Chevalier,  in  Huf eland's  Neuesten  Annalen  der  franzosichen 
Heilkunde  (Newest  Annals  of  French  Medicine). 

[20]  2  38.  Mania  phthisi  superveniens  earn  cum  omnibus  suis  phce- 
nomenis  awffert,  verum  mox  redit  phthisis  et  occidit,  abeunte  mania. 
Beil.  Memorab.  Fasc.,  Ill,  v,  p.  171. 

[21]  2  38.     In  Edin.  Med.  Comment.,  Part  I,  1. 

[22]  §  38.    John  Hunter  on  Venereal  Diseases,  p.  5. 

[23]  \  38.    Rainay,  in  Med.  Comment,  of  Edinb.,  Ill,  p.  480. 

[24]  §  38.  It  was  also  very  correctly  described  by  Withering  and 
Plenciz,  but  it  is  very  different  from  purple  rash  (or  Roodvonk),  which 
was  erroneously  called  scarlet  fever.  Only  during  the  last  year,  both 
diseases,  though  originally  very  different,  have  become  approximated 
in  regard  to  their  symptoms. 

[25]  ?  38.     Jenner,  in  Medicinische  Annalen,  1800,  August,  p.  747. 

[26]  \  38.  In  Huf eland's  Journal  der  Practischen  Arzneikunde,  XX, 
iii,  p.  50. 

[27]  §38.    Loc.  cit. 

[28]  |  39.     Obs.  Phys.  Med.,  Lib.  2,  obs.  30. 

[29]  ?  40.  After  exact  experiments  and  cures  of  this  kind  of  com- 
plicated diseases,  I  have  arrived  at  the  conviction  that  the  two  diseases 
are  not  blended  together,  but  that  in  such  cases,  they  merely  exist  side 
by  Bide  in  the  organism,  each  one  dwelling  in  the  parts  for  which  it 
has  an  affinity ;  since  their  perfect  cure  is  effected  by  a  well-timed  al- 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      193 

ternation  of  the  best  mercurial  preparation,  with  remedies  for  the  cure 
of  the  itch  ;  each  to  be  administered  in  appropriate  dose  and  prepara- 
tion. 

[30]  \  40.  Transactions  of  a  Society  for  the  improvement  of  Medical 
and  Chirurgical  Knowledge,  II. 

[31]  I  40.  In  Med.  Comment,  of  Edin.,  Ill,  p.  430. 

[32]  2  40.  In  Med.  and  Phys.  Journ.,  1805.    . 

[33]  2  40.  Opera,  II,  p.  i,  cap.  10. 

[34]  2  40.  In  Huf  eland's  Journal,  XVII. 

[35]  2  41.  Besides  the  morbific  symptoms  which,  by  virtue  of  their 
similitude,  possess  the  power  of  curing  homoeopathically  the  venereal 
disease,  quicksilver,  in  its  mode  of  action,  evinces  many  others  dis- 
similar to  syphilis  which,  in  the  frequent  cases  of  complication  with 
psora,  are  productive  of  new  evils,  and  of  great  destruction  in  the  body. 

[36]  2  45.    See  above,  footnote  to  2  26. 

[37]  2  45.  In  the  same  manner  as  the  image  of  a  candle-flame  is 
speedily  overpowered  (uberstimmt)  and  erased  from  the  optic  nerve,  by 
a  stronger  sunbeam  falling  upon  the  eye. 

[38]  2  46.  Trait^  de  ^inoculation,  p.  189. 
[39]  2  46.  Heilkundef'dr  Mutter,  p.  384. 
[40]  2  46.  Interpres  Glinicus,  p.  293. 

[41]  2  46.  Neue  Heilart  der  KinderpocJcen,  Ulm,  1769,  p.  68,  and 
Specim.  obs.,  No.  18. 

[42]  246.  Loc.  cit. 

[43]  2  46.  Nov.  act.  Nat.  cur.,  vol.  I,  obs.  22. 

1 44]  2  46.  Nachricht  von  dem  Kranken-Institut  zu  Erlangen,  1783. 

1 45]  2  46.  Robert  Willan  on  Vaccination. 

(46]  2  46.     Particularly  Clavier,  Hurel,  and  Desormeaux,  in  the  Bui- 

13 


194  NOTES   AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

letin  des  Soc.  Medicales,  publte  par  les  Mtmbres  du  Cvmitt  Central  cfe 
la  S»c.  dt  Mtdecinedu  Dipartement  de  VEart,  180S;  also  in  the  Journal 
de  Mtdecine  Continue,  vol.  xv,  p.  206. 

[47]  I  46.     Balhorn,  in  Hufeland's  Journal,  X,  ii. 

[48]  \  46.  Stevenson  in  Duncan's  Annals  of  Medicine,  Lustr.  II, 
vol.  i,  dis.  3,  Xo.  9. 

[49]  §  46.     In  Huf eland's  Journ.  der  pr.  Arzneik.  XXIII. 
[50]  \  46.     On  Venereal  Disease,  p.  4. 

[51]  g  46.  Elemens  de  Mtdec.  prat,  de  M.  Cullen,  Traduits,  P.  II, 
1,  3,  ch.  7. 

[52]  \  46.     Or  that  symptom,  at  least,  was  removed. 
[53]  \  46.     In  Huf  eland's  Journal,  XX,  iii,  p.  50. 

[54]  §46.  Rau,iiberd.  Werth  des  Homceop.  Heiherfahrens.  Hei Jell)., 
1824,  p.  85. 

[55]  \  50.  And  the  contagious  humor  of  another  contagious  dis- 
ease, carried  along  as  a  secondary  ingredient  of  vaccine  matter. 

[56]  §  50.     Namely,  small-pox  and  measles. 

[57]  \  52.  See  ahove,  in  the  Introduction :  Review  of  Physic,  etc., 
and  my  book,  Allopathic,  ein  Wort  der  Warnungfur  Krankejeder  Art. 
(Allopathy,  a  Word  of  Warning  for  Sufferers  of  all  Kinds).  Leipzig,  by 
Baumgartner. 

[58]  |  55.    Review  of  Physic,  etc. 

[59]  §  56.  The  attempt  is  made  by  some  to  create  a  fourth  mode 
of  applying  medicines  in  diseases,  by  means  of  isopathy,  as  it  is  called  ; 
that  is,  to  cure  an  equal  disease  by  an  equal  miasni.  But  supposing 
tbis  were  possible — and  it  would  deserve  the  name  of  a  valuable  dis- 
covery— the  cure  in  that  case  could  only  be  accomplished  by  opposing 
a  similimum  to  a  similimum,  since  isopathy  administers  only  a  highly 
potentiated,  and,  as  it  were,  altered  miasrn  to  a  patient. 

[6°j  \  5S.  Little  as  physicians  have  been  in  the  habit  of  observing, 
the  aggravations  following  such  palliatives  could  not  have  escaped  their 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGAXON.      195 

attention.  A  good  example  of  this  kind  may  be  found  in  J.  II.  Schulze, 
Diss.  qua  corporis  humani  momentanearum  alteration-urn  specimina 
qucedam  expenduntur,  Hake,  1741,  §  28.  Something  of  a  similar  na- 
ture is  stated  by  Willis,  Pliarm.  rat.,  sect.  7,  cap.  I,  p.  298:  "Opiatu 
dolores  atrocissimos  plerumque  sedant  atque  indolentiam— procurant, 
eamque — aliquamdiu  et  pro  stato  quodam  tempore  continuant,  quo 
spatio  elapso,  dolores  mox  recrudescunt  et  brevi  ad  solitam  ferociam 
augentur."  And  further  on,  p.  295:  "Exactis  opii  viribus  illico  re- 
deunt  tormina,  nee  atrocitatem  suam.  remittunt,  nisi  dum  ab  eodem 
pharmaco  rursus  incantantur."  J.  Hunter  says  (On  Venereal  Disease, 
p.  13),  that  wine  increases  the  activity  of  the  weak,  without  imparting 
true  strength  to  them,  and  that  the  strength  afterwards  declines  in 
proportion  to  the  previous  stimulation,  whereby  no  advantage  is  gained, 
but  that  the  strength  is  mostly  wasted. 

[01]  \  59.     See  Introduction,  towards  the  end. 

[62]  \  59.     See  Hufeland's  pamphlet,  Die  Homoeopathic,  p.  20. 

[63]  $  67.  Only  in  cases  of  extreme  urgency,  where  danger  and 
imminent  death  do  not  afford  sufficient  time  for  the  action  of  a  homceo- 
pathic  remedy,  leaving  it  scarcely  an  hour,  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  or 
even  minutes,  to  take  effect,  it  is  necessary  to  make  use  of  palliatives. 
For  instance,  in  sudden  attacks  befalling  previously  healthy  persons, 
such  as  asphyxia,  and  apparent  death  from  lightning,  suffocation,  freez- 
ing, drowning,  etc.,  it  would  be  appropriate  and  to  the  purpose  to 
stimulate  at  first  the  susceptibility  and  sensibility  (physical  life),  by 
mild  electric  shocks,  injections  of  strong  coffee,  by  stimulating  the  ol- 
factories, by  applying  gradual  warmth,  etc.  As  soon  as  life  is  again 
manifested,  the  action  of  vital  organs  resumes  its  previous  health}' 
course,  because,  in  this  instance,  no  disease,*  but  only  a  suspension  or 
suppression  of  vital  force,  which  was  in  itself  healthy,  was  to  be  re- 
moved. Various  antidotes  to  sudden  cases  of  poisoning  are  here  in 
place,  such  as  alkalies  for  mineral  acids,  liver  of  sulphur  for  metallic 
poisons,  coffee,  camphor  (and  Ipecacuanha)  for  opium  poisoning,  etc. 
A  homoeopathic  medicine  is  not  necessarily  selected  improperly  for  a 
disease,  if  a  few  drug-symptoms  should  happen  to  bear  only  an  anti- 
pathic relation  to  some  of  its  intermediate  and  minor  symptoms,  as 

*  Nevertheless  the  new  sect  appeals  to  this  remark,  in  order  to  find  such 
exceptions  to  the  rule  everywhere  in  diseases,  by  way  of  pretext  for  the  ap- 
plication of  their  allopathic  palliatives  and  other  pernicious  devices,  only 
for  the  sake  of  avoiding  the  trouble  of  finding  the  right  homoeopathic  remedy 
for  every  case  of  disease;  or,  as  one  might  say,  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  being 
homoeopathic  physicians,  as  which,  however,  they  wish  to  appear;  but  their 
deeds  are  in  confornrity  with  their  aspirations  ;  they  are  insignificant. 


196  NOTES   AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

long  as  the  other,  stronger,  particularly  prominent  (characteristic)  symp- 
toms of  the  disease  are  properly  covered,  that  is,  overcome  and  extin- 
guished (homoeopathically)  by  the  symptom-similitude  of  the  same 
remedy.  The  few  contrary  symptoms  will  then  vanish  spontaneously, 
after  the  time  of  action  of  the  medicine  has  passed,  and  the  cure  will 
not  be  retarded  in  the  least. 

[64]  \  69.  Permanent  neutralization  of  conflicting  or  antagonistic 
sensations,  never  occurs  in  the  living  body  as  it  does  in  the  chemical 
laboratory,  with  substances  of  opposite  properties,  e.  (/.,  where  sul- 
phuric acid  and  potassa  unite  to  form  a  neutral  salt,  an  entirely  differ- 
ent substance,  neither  acid  nor  alkaline,  and  which  cannot  even  be 
decomposed  by  lime.  A  blending  or  intimate  reunion  of  this  kind, 
resulting  in  something  permanently  neutral  and  indifferent,  cannot  be 
brought  about,  as  above  stated,  by  dynamic  impressions  of  opposite 
nature  in  our  organs  of  sensation.  Only  an  apparent  neutralization, 
or  mutual  obliteration  takes  place  in  such  a  case,  but  opposite  sensa- 
tions do  not  cancel  each  other  permanently.  The  tears  of  a  sorrowful 
person  are  arrested  but  for  a  short  time  by  a  merry  spectacle,  but  he 
will  soon  forget  the  ludicrous  impression,  and  his  tears  will  flow  more 
copiously  afterwards. 

[65]  §  69.  Unmistakable  as  this  is,  it  has  nevertheless  been  mis- 
understood, and  the  objection  raised,  "that  the  palliative  in  its  after- 
effect being  the  similar  of  the  present  disease,  would  probably  effect  a 
cure  as  well  as  a  homoeopathic  medicine  would  do  in  its  primary 
effect."  But  it  was  overlooked  that  the  after-effect  is  not  the  product 
of  the' medicine,  but  always  of  the  counteracting  vital  force  of  the  or- 
ganism ;  and,  hence  this  after-effect,  produced  by  the  vital  force  upon 
the  application  of  a  palliative,  is  only  a  condition  resembling  the  dis- 
ease-symptom left  uuextinguished  by  the  palliative ;  and  conse- 
quently aggravated  by  the  counteraction  of  the  vital  force  against  the 
palliative. 

[66]  \  69.  Like  the  effect  which  might  be  produced  by  the  sudden 
ignition  of  alcohol  in  a  dark  dungeon,  where  the  prisoner  can  discern 
near  objects  but  imperfectly,  the  flame  would  at  first  exhibit  everything 
to  the  sufferer  in  a  comforting  light ;  but  the  brighter  the  flame  had 
been,  so  much  the  darker  would  be  the  night  surrounding  the  prisoner, 
obscuring  objects  more  deeply  than  before. 

[67]  \  73.  The  homoeopathic  physician,  unbiassed  by  the  prejudices 
of  the  common  school  (which  had  affixed  certain  names  to  such  fevers, 
besides  which  great  nature  was  expected  to  produce  no  others,  in  order 
that  thei;  treatment,  framed  after  a  certain  pattern,  need  not  be  inter 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGAXOX.      197 

fereci  with),  does  not  recognize  appellations  like  those  of  dungeon-fever, 
bilious  fever,  typhus  fever,  putrid  fever,  nervous  and  mucous  fever,  but 
treats  each  one  according  to  its  peculiarities. 

[08]  §  73.  Subsequent  to  the  year  1801,  a  kind  of  purple-rash 
(roodvonk),  introduced  from  western  countries,  was  mistaken  by  phy- 
sicians for  scarlet  fever,  although  the  one  was  distinguished  from  the 
other  by  very  different  signs,  the  former  being  prevented  and  cured  by 
Aconite,  the  latter  by  Belladonna,  and  while  the  former  occurred  spo- 
radically, the  latter  was  always  an  epidemic.  In  later  years,  both  have 
at  times  appeared  united  in  a  peculiar  form  of  eruptive  fever,  to  which 
neither  of  the  above  remedies  longer  correspond  singly. 

[69]  \  74.  When  the  patient  finally  succumhs,  the  physician  who 
has  treated  him,  usually  exhibits,  during  a  post-mortem  examination, 
these  organic  changes  to  the  mourning  relatives,  cunningly  represent- 
ing the  consequences  of  his  want  of  skill,  as  the  original  and  incurable 
evil  (cf.  my  book,  Allopathy,  a  Word  of  Warning  to  Patients  of  all  Kinds, 
Leips.,  by  Baumgartner).  Illustrated  works  on  morbid  anatomy,  call- 
ing to  mind  deceptive  reminiscences,  contain  the  product  of  such  poor 
treatment. 

[70]  \  79.  I  have  devoted  twelve  years  to  the  discovery  of  the 
source  of  these  exceedingly  numerous  chronic  maladies,  to  the  investiga- 
tion and  realization  of  the  great  truth  hitherto  unknown  to  our  prede- 
cessors and  contemporaries,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  the  discovery  of 
the  principal  (antipsoric)  remedies,  which  in  their  various  manifesta- 
tions and  forms,  would  in  most  instances  prove  to  be  of  superior 
strength  in  combating  this  many-headed  monster.  My  experiences 
concerning  this  matter,  have  been  given  in  the  book  entitled,  The 
Chronic  Diseases  (2  parts,  Dresden:  Arnold,  1828,  1830).  Before  I  had 
succeeded  in  gaining  a  clear  view  of  the  subject,  I  could  only  recom- 
mend that  all  chronic  diseases  shopld  be  treated  as  other  distinct  cases, 
by  means  of  medicinal  substances,  according  to  their  effect,  as  derived 
from  the  provings  hitherto  made  upon  healthy  persons.  Hence,  rny 
pupils  treated  each  case  of  chronic  disease  like  others  of  a  peculiar 
kind  ;  and  they  often  succeeded  so  far  in  curing  it,  that  suffering  hu- 
manity rejoiced  in  the  progress  of  the  fertile  resources  of  the  new  heal- 
ing art.  How  much  greater  should  be  the  cause  for  contentment,  now 
that  the  desired  object  is  so  near  its  consummation,  since  the  newly 
discovered,  and  more  highly  specific  homoeopathic  remedies  (properly 
called  antipsorics)  for  chronic  diseases,  originated  by  psora,  have  been 
made  known,  together  with  their  methods  of  preparation  and  applica- 
tion in  disease.  But  of  their  number  the  true  physician  selects  for 
healing  purposes,  those  of  which  the  drug-symptoms  are  most  similar 


198  NOTES   AXD   EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

to  the  chronic  disease  they  are  intended  to  cure,  thereby  insuring  more 
essential  services,  and  almost  invariable  sticcess  from  (antipsoric)  medi- 
cines more  adapted  to  this  miasm. 

[71]  \  81.  Some  of  these  causes  which  so  modify  the  development 
of  psora  as  to  produce  chronic  evils,  obviously  depend  in  part  on  cli- 
mate and  natural  peculiarities  of  habitations,  and  partly  on  improper 
moral  and  physical  education  of  the  young  ;  on  the  neglect,  distortion, 
or  over-training  of  both  mind  and  body  ;  on  the  abuse -of  bodily  and 
mental  functions  in  vocations  and  other  conditions  of  life;  of  dietetic- 
habits,  human  passions,  customs,  and  fashions  of  various  kinds. 

[72]  \  81.  Pathology  has  given  rise  to  many  misapplied  and  am- 
biguous names,  each  of  which  is  applied  to  very  different  morbid  con- 
ditions, often  having  but  a  single  symptom  in  common,  such  as  ayue. 
jaundice,  dropsy,  consumption,  leucorrhoea,  haemorrhoids,  rheumatism, 
apoplexy,  convulsions,  hysteria,  hypockondriasis,  melancholy,  mania, 
croup,  paralysis,  etc.,  which  are  described  as  fixed,  unvarying  diseases, 
and  treated  by  name  according  to  an  undeviating  routine.  Is  it  jus- 
tifiable to  base  medicinal  treatment  on  a  mere  name  ?  Or,  •  if  it  is 
otherwise,  why  is  the  same  kind  of  treatment  always  predetermined  by 
identical  names  ?  "  Nihil  sane  in  artem  medicam  pestiferum  magis  uu- 
quam  irrepsit  malum,  quam  generalia  qusedam  nomina  morbis  impon- 
ere,  iisque  aptare  velle  generalem  quandam  medicinam,"  says  Huxham, 
whose  conscientiousness  deserves  as  much  respect  as  his  keen  insight 
(Op.  Phys.  Med.,  torn.  I.).  In  a  similar  manner  Fritze  complains 
(Annalen,  I,  p.  80),  "that  essentially  different  diseases  are  designated 
by  one  name."  Those  general  diseases  even,  which  are  undoubtedly 
propagated  in  eacJi  particular  epidemic,  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  contagious 
matter  of  unknown  nature,  have  names  assigned  to  them  by  the  old 
school  of  medicine,  as  if  they  always  returned  in  the  same  well-known 
and  established  form,  such  as  hospital,  dungeon,  camp,  putrid,  bilious, 
nervous,  mucous  fevers;  notwithstanding  that  each  epidemic  of  these 
wandering  fevers,  may  always  be  distinguished  as  a  different  and  neic 
disease,  never  known  before  in  precisely  the  same  form,  differing  from 
others  in  its  course,  as  well  as  in  many  of  its  most  prominent  symp- 
toms, and  in  its  general  features  as  exhibited  for  the  time  being.  Each 
one  is  so  unlike  all  other  preceding  epidemics,  whatever  their  names, 
that  it  would  be  a  violation  of  logical  accuracy,  if  we  were  to  attach 
one  of  those  pathological  terms  to  these  heterogeneous  disorders,  and 
(hen  treat  them  according  to  this  misapplied  name.  This  was  already 
ol>served  by  the  honest  Sydenham,  who  insists  (Oper.,  cap.  2,  d<  Morb. 
Epid.,  p.  43),  that  no  epidemic  disease  should  be  considered  as  having 
occurred  before,  or  treated  according  to  a  method  applied  on  a  previous 
occasion,  since  all  of  them,  regardless  of  the  number  of  successive 


APPENDED   TO   THE   TEXT   OF   THE   ORGANOET.  199 

epidemics,  were  different  from  each  other:  "Animum  admiratrone 
percellit,  quam  discolor  et  suf  plane  dissimilis  morborum  epidemicorurn 
facies ;  quse  tain  aperta  horum  morborum  diversitas  turn  propriis  ac 
sibi  peculiaribus  symptoinatis  turn  etiam  medendi  ratione,  quam  hi  ab 
illis  disparem  sibi  vindicant,  satis  illucescit.  Ex  quibus  constat,  morbus 
epidemicos,  utut  externa  quatantenus  specie  et  symptoinatis  aliquot 
utrisque  pariter  convenire  paullo  incautioribus  videantur,  re  tamen 
ipsa,  si  bene  adverteris  animum,  aliense  esse  admodum  indolis  et  dis- 
tare  ut  sera  lupinis." 

From  all  this  it  becomes  evident  that  these  useless  and  inapplicable 
names  of  diseases  should  not  be  permitted  to  control  the  method  of 
cure  employed  by  a  true  physician,  who  knows  that  diseases  are  never 
to  be  discerned  or  cured  according  to  the  similarity  of  names  which 
refer  to  single  symptoms,  but  in  conformity  with  the  totality  of  every 
83'mptom  of  the  particular  condition  peculiar  to  each  patient,  whose 
suffering  must  be  accurately  investigated,  but  never  hypothetically 
assumed. 

If,  however,  names  of  diseases  are  occasionally  needed  for  the  sake 
of  brevity,  while  speaking  of  a  patient  in  popular  language,  they 
should  be  used  only  as  collective  names  ;  thus,  for  instance,  we  might 
say  the  patient  has  a  kind  of  St.  Vitus's  dance,  a  kind  of  dropsy,  a  kind 
of  nervous  fever,  a  kind  of  ague  ;  but  (in  order  to  avoid  all  this  delusive 
nomenclature)  we  should  never  say  he  has  the  St.  Vitus's  dance,  tlie 
nervous  fever,  the  dropsy,  the  ague  ;  because  fixed  and  unvarying  dis- 
eases with  these  names,  actually  have  no  existence. 

[73]  \  82.  The  plan  laid  down  in  the  following  paragraphs,  con- 
cerning the  investigation  of  symptoms,  only  partially  refers  to  acute 
diseases. 

[74]  \  84.  Every  interruption  disturbs  the  course  of  thought  of  the 
narrator,  who  will  subsequently  be  unable  to  recall  his  ideas  precisely 
in  that  form  in  which  he  would  have  expressed  them  at  the  outset. 

[75]  \  87.  The  physician  should  not  put  his  question  thus,  for  ex- 
ample :  "Did  you  not  observe  this  or  that  circumstance  ?"  He  should 
not  make  any  suggestions,  leading  to  a  deceptive  answer  and  state- 
ment. 

[76]  ?  88.  The  physician  should  ask,  for  example:  "What  is  the 
condition  of  your  bowels  ?  How  does  the  urine  pass  ?  What  have 
you  to  say  about  your  sleep  in  the  daytime,  as  well  as  at  night  ?  What 
is  your  frame  of  mind,  your  moods,  or  your  power  of  memory  ?  How 
is  it  with  regard  to  thirst  ?  What  sort  of  taste  do  you  experience  in 
vour  mouth  ?  What  food  or  drink  do  you  relish  most  ?  What  is  most 


200  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY   REMARKS 

distasteful  to  you  ?  Has  your  food  or  drink  its  natural  full  taste,  or  a 
stiange  and  different  one  ?  How  do  youfeel  after  eating  or  drinking  ? 
Have  you  anything  to  remark  about  your  head,  limbs,  or  abdomen  ?" 

[77]  \  89.  For  example,  questions  should  be  put  as  follows  :  "How 
often  do  you  have  an  evacuation  from  the  bowels,  and  what  is  the  pre- 
cise character  of  the  discharge  ?  Was  the  whitish  discharge  mucus,  or 
fecal  matter  ?  Were  there  an}'  paius  during  the  evacuation  or  not  ? 
What  kind  of  pains,  and  where  ?  What  did  the  patient  vomit  up  ? 
Is  the  disagreeable  taste  in  the  mouth  foul,  bitter,  sour,  or  otherwise  ? 
Do  you  experience  it  before,  after,  or  during  eating  or  drinking  ?  At 
what  lime  of  the  day  is  it  most  perceptible  ?  Of  what  taste  are  the 
eructations  ?  Does  the  urine  become  turbid  on  standing  in  the  vessel, 
or  is  it  turbid  while  passing  ?  Of  what  color  is  the  water  just  after 
passing  it  ?  What  is  the  color  of  the  sediment  ?  How  do  you  act,  or 
what  do  you  feel  while  sleeping  ?  Does  he  whimper,  groan,  talk,  or 
cry  out  in  his  sleep  ?  Does  he  start  in  sleep  ?  Does  the  patient  snore 
with  the  in-  or  expiration  ?  Does  he  lie  only  on  his  back,  or  on  which 
side  ?  Does  he  cover  himself  snugly,  or  does  he  not  allow  himself  to 
be  covered  ?  Does  he  awake  easily,  or  does  he  sleep  too  soundly  '?  How 
does  he  feel  directly  after  awaking  from  sleep  ?  How  often  do  you  ex- 
perience this  or  that  complaint,  and  upon  what  occasions  does  it  come  ? 
While  sitting,  lying,  standing,  or  during  exercise  ?  During  an  empty 
stomach,  or  at  least  in  the  morning,  or  only  at  night,  or  only  after  a 
meal,  or  at  what  other  times  ?  When  did  the  rigor  take  place  ?  Was 
it  merely  a  feeling  of  chilliness,  or  was  the  patient  cold  at  the  time  ? 
In  which  parts  ?  Or  was  he  even  hot  to  the  touch  during  the  feeling 
of  chilliness  ?  Was  it  only  a  feeling  of  coldness  without  shuddering  ? 
Was  he  hot  without  being  red  .in  the  face  ?  Which  parts  felt  cold  to 
the  touch  ?  Or  did  he  complain  of  heat,  without  actually  feeling  cold 
to  the  touch  ?  What  was  the  duration  of  the  chill  and  of  the  heat  ? 
When  did  thirst  set  in  ?  During  the  chill  ?  During  the  heat  ?  Before 
it  or  after  it  t*  How  severe  was  the  thirst,  and  for  what  ?  When  does 
the  perspiration  set  in,  in  the  beginning  or  at  the  end  of  the  heat  ?  Or 
how  many  hours  after  the  heat  ?  While  sleeping,  or  waking  ?  How 
profuse  was  the  perspiration  ?  Was  it  hot,  or  cold  ?  On  which  parts  ? 
Of  what  odor  ?  What  does  the  patient  complain  of  before,  or  during 
the  chill  ?  Of  what,  during  the  heat  ?  Of  what,  afterwards  ?  Of 
what,  during  or  after  the  perspiration  ?"  etc. 

[78]  §  90.  He  should  note,  for  instance,  how  the  patient  behaved 
during  the  visit,  whether  morose,  quarrelsome,  hasty,  inclined  to  weep, 
anxious,  despairing  or  sorrowful,  or  confident  and  calm,  etc.  ;  note 
down  if  he  was  somnolent,  or  without  recollection  ;  if  he  spoke  hoarsely, 
in  a  whisper,  or  if  his  language  was  improper  or  otherwise ;  note  the 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      201 

complexion  of  the  face,  ami  the  color  of  the  eyes  and  skin  in  general; 
the  vivacity  and  force  of  features  and  eyes  ;  the  condition  of  the  tongue, 
breath,  and  the  odor  from  the  mouth,  and  also  the  hearing ;  how  much 
the  pupils  were  dilated  or  contracted ;  how  rapidly  or  how  much  they 
are  inclined  to  change  in  darkness  and  in  light ;  note  the  state  of  the 
pulse,  of  the  abdomen,  how  moist  or  how  hot  it  is ;  how  cold  or  dry  the 
skin  is  in  general,  or  in  particular  parts  ;  notice  the  patient's  position, 
if  lying  with  his  mouth  open  partially  or  widely,  if  his  arms  are  thrown 
above  his  head,  if  he  lies  on  his  back  or  otherwise  ;  with  what  degree 
of  effort  he  raises  himself  up,  and  every  other  striking  observation  re- 
garding the  patient,  should  be  noted  by  the  physician. 

[79]  \  93.  Circumstances,  the  disclosure  of  which  reflects  disgrace 
upon  the  patient,  and  which  are  not  readily  or  willingly  mentioned 
by  him  or  his  attendants,  must  be  traced  out  by  the  physician  through 
skilfully  constructed  questions  or  private  inquiries.  The  following 
may  be  enumerated  in  this  class :  Poisoning  or  attempted  suicide ; 
masturbation ;  sexual  excesses  of  ordinary  or  unnatural  kind ;  abuse 
of  wine,  liquors,  punch,  and  other  heating  beverages,  including  coffee ; 
over-eating  in  general,  or  of  particularly  hurtful  food  ;  infection  with 
venereal  disease,  or  the  itch ;  unrequited  love  ;  jealousy  ;  domestic  dis- 
cord ;  mortification  ;  grief  in  consequence  of  family  misfortunes  ;  mal- 
treatment ;  suppressed  feeling  of  revenge ;  humiliation ;  pecuniary 
losses ;  superstitious  fear ;  want ;  malformation  of  sexual  organs ; 
hernia  ;  prolapsus,  etc. 

[80]  \  94.  In  chronic  diseases  of  the  female  sex,  particular  atten- 
tion should  be  paid  to  pregnancy,  sterility,  inclination  to  sexual  inter- 
course, childbirth,  abortions,  suckling,  and  the  condition  of  the  men- 
strual discharge.  Especially  in  regard  to  the  latter,  the  inquiry  should 
not  be  neglected,  whether  it  returns  too  early  or  is  delayed  beyond  the 
regular  time  ;  how  many  days  it  lasts,  continuously  or  interruptedly  ; 
its  quantity  should  be  ascertained,  as  well  as  its  color  ;  whether  pre- 
ceded or  followed  by  leucorrhoea  (whites) ;  particular  notice  should  be 
taken  of  the  accompanying  bodily  and  mental  complaints,  sensations 
and  pains  before,  during,  and  after  the  appearance  of  the  menstrual 
discharge.  Is  it  combined  with  leucorrhoea,  and  of  what  kind  ?  With 
what  sensations  ?  In  what  quantity,  under  which  conditions,  and  on 
what  occasions  does  it  appear  ? 

[81]  §  96.  Purely  fictitious  accounts  of  morbid  attacks  and  com- 
plaints, will  scarcely  be  met  with  in  the  case  of  even  the  most  incorri- 
gible hypochondriacs ;  this  is  plainly  proved  by  comparing  their  ac- 
counts of  complaints  given  at  different  times,  while  the  physician  has 
administered  nothing,  or  merely  non-medicinal  things.  It  is  only 


202  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

necessary  to  make  certain  deductions  from  their  exaggerations,  or  at 
least  the  force  of  their  expressions  should  be  accredited  to  their  over- 
wrought feelings  ;  in  this  respect  an  exaggerated  statement  of  their 
complaints  should  be  set  down  by  itself  in  the  list  of  the  rest  of  signifi- 
cant symptoms,  composing  the  picture  of  the  disease.  The  case  is  dif- 
ferent with  maniacs,  and  those  who  viciously  simulate  disease. 

[82]  2  102.  If  the  physician  had  been  able  to  select  in  the  first  cases 
the  appropriate  remedy,  nearly  approaching  a  homoeopathic  specific, 
the  subsequent  cases  will  either  confirm  the  appropriateness  of  the 
chosen  remedy,  or  point  out  a  still  more  suitable,  or  the  most  suitable 
homoeopathic  remedy. 

[83]  \  104.  Physicians  of  the  old  school  make  very  light  of  the 
matter.  With  them  a  careful  inquiry  into  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
patient  was  unheard  of.  The  physician  would  even  interrupt  patients 
in  the  narration  of  their  complaints,  that  he  might  be  undisturbed  in 
hastily  writing  off  a  recipe,  composed  of  numerous  ingredients,  of 
which  the  real  effects  were  unknown  to  him.  No  allopathic  physician 
then  demanded  information  concerning  every  particular  circumstance 
of  the  patient,  and  still  less  would  he  write  down  anything  concerning 
him.  On  revisiting  the  patient  after  several  days,  he  remembered  little 
or  nothing  of  what  he  had  heard  (having  seen  so  many  different  patients 
in  the  meantime) ;  what  he  had  heard  with  one  ear,  escaped  from  the 
other.  Nor  would  he  ask  more  than  a  few  general  questions  during 
subsequent  visits  ;  he  would  seem  to  feel  the  pulse  at  the  wrist,  look  at 
the  tongue,  prescribe  another  recipe  at  the  same  moment,  also  without 
good  reason,  or  order  the  former  prescription  to  be  continued  (frequently 
throughout  the  day,  in  considerable  doses),  and  then  depart  most  grace- 
fully to  visit  the  fiftieth  or  sixtieth  patient,  in  a  single  forenoon,  in 
order  to  go  through  with  the  same  senseless  routine.  In  this  way 
people,  calling  themselves  physicians,  and  rational  physicians  at  that, 
made  a  business  of  a  profession,  actually  requiring  more  earnest  thought 
than  any  other  in  the  conscientious  and  careful  investigation  of  the 
condition  of  each  patient,  to  serve  as  a  basis  for  the  special  mode  of 
treatment.  The  result  was  almost  invariably  unfavorable  ;  neverthe 
less,  patients  were  obliged  to  resort  to  these  physicians,  partly  for  want 
of  better  ones,  and  partly  from  courtesy. 

[84]  3  108.  During  the  past  twenty-five  hundred  years,  as  far  as 
I  know,  not  a  single  physician,  with  the  exception  of  the  great  and 
immortal  Albrecht  von  Haller,  has  hit  upon  this  method  of  proving 
Resting)  drugs  with  reference  to  their  pure  and  peculiar  effects,  by  al- 
tering the  sensorial  condition  of  man,  which  furnishes  the  most  natural 
and  indispensable  means  of  discovering  what  morbid  conditions  each 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      203 

drug  is  capable  of  curiug.  Excepting  myself,  Haller  was  the  only  one 
who  recognized  this  necessity  (cf.  the  preface  to  the  Pharmacopoeia  Hel- 
vet.,  Basil,  1771,  fol.,  p.  12) :  "Nempe  primum  in  corpore  sano  medela 
tentanda  est,  sine  peregrina  ulla  miscela;  odoreque  et  sapore  ejus  ex- 
ploratis,  exigua  illius  dosis  ingerenda  et  ad  omnes,  quse  inde  contin- 
guut,  affectiones,  quis  pulsus,  qui  calor,  quae  respiratio,  qusenani  ex- 
cretiones,  attendendum.  Inde  ad  ductum  phsenomenorum,  in  sauo 
obviorum,  transeas  ad  experimeuta  in  corpore  segroto,  etc."  But  no 
physician  has  ever  obeyed  these  invaluable  hints. 

[85]  \  106.  Besides  pure  homoeopathy,  another  true  and  more 
perfect  way  of  healing  dynamic  (i.  e.,  all  non-surgical)  diseases  cannot 
exist,  as  it  is  impossible  to  draw  more  than  one  straight  line  between 
two  given  points.  How  little  must  he  who  imagines  there  are  still 
other  kinds  of  diseases  to  be  cured,  besides  those  amenable  to  homceop- 
athy,  have  penetrated  into  its  depth,  or  how  insufficiently  must  he  have 
practiced  it ;  how  few  correctly  planned  homoeopathic  cures  must  he 
have  seen  or  read  of,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  how  imperfectly  must  he 
have  weighed  in  his  mind  the  absence  of  any  foundation  in  every  allo- 
pathic mode  of  procedure,  or  have  acquired  information  concerning 
their  poor,  nay.  horrible  results  j  who,  with  shallow  indifference,  con- 
siders the  merits  of  the  only  true  healing  art  as  equal  to  those  perni- 
cious modes  of  treatment,  or  who  even  pretends  that  they  are  the  sisters 
of  homoeopathy,  and  indispensable  to  it.  My  true  and  conscientious 
followers  may  refute  such  notions  by  their  almost  unerring  fortunate 
cures. 

[86]  \  106.  I  have  deposited  the  fruits  of  these  researches  in  the 
degree  of  perfection  they  had  attained  up  to  that  time  in  Fraginenta  de 
viribus  medicamentorum  positives,  sive  in  sano  corp.  num.  observatis^ 
Part  I,  II,  Leipsise,  8,  1805,  apud  J.  A.  Barth  ;  the  riper  ones  in  the 
pure  Materia  Medica,  Part  I,  third  ed.,  Part  II,  third  ed..  1833  ;  Part 
III,  second  ed.,  1825  ;  Part  IV,  second  ed.,  1825  ;  Part  V,  second  ed., 
1826  ;  Part  VI,  second  ed.,  1827 ;  and  in  the  second,  third,  and  fourth 
parts  of  the  Chronic  Diseases,  1828,  lfc'30.  Dresden,  by  Arnold. 

[87]  §  110.  Compare  what  I  have  said  regarding  this  matter  in  the 
Illustration  of  the  Sources  of  the  Common  Materia  Medica,  preceding 
the  third  part  of  my  Pure  Materia  Medica. 

[88]  \  117.  Some  persons  are  made  to  faint  away  by  the  odor  of 
roses,  and  may  be  affected  by  a  variety  of  morbid  and  sometimes  dan- 
gerous conditions  after  partaking  of  limpets,  craw-fish,  or  of  the  spawn 
of  the  barb,  or  from  touching  the  leaves  of  some  kind  of  sumach,  etc. 

[88]  §  117.     In  this  manner  the  Princess  Maria  Porphyrogeneta  ro- 


NO'JES   AND    EXPLANATORY   KEMARKS 

lieved  her  brother,  the  Emperor  Alexius,  suffering  from  fainting  attacks, 
by  sprinkling  him  with  rose-water  (TO  -uv  p66uv  araAay/za)  in  the  presence 
of  his  aunt  Eudoxia  (Hist.  Byz.  Alexias,  lib.  15,  p.  503.  ed.  Posser), 
and  Horstius  (Oper.,  Ill,  p.  59)  found  rose-vinegar  very  efficacious  in 
cases  of  fainting. 

[90]  \  118.  This  was  also  recognized  by  the  distinguished  von 
Ilaller,  when  he  says  (preface  to  his  Hist.  Stirp  Helv.) :  "Latet  im- 
mensa  virium  diversitas  in  iis  ipsis  plantis,  quarum  facies  externas  du- 
dum  novirnus,  animas  quasi  et  quodcunque  cselestius  habent,  nondum 
perspeximus." 

[91]  I  119.  "Whoever  is  acquainted  with  the  peculiar  effect  of  each 
particular  substance  upon  the  state  of  human  feelings,  and  whoever 
knows  how  to  appreciate  it,  will  readily  comprehend  that  in  regard  to 
their  medicinal  qualities  there  can  be  among  these  remedies  none  of 
equivalent  value,  or  that  could  be  substituted  for  each  other.  Only  he 
who  is  unacquainted  with  the  pure  and  positive  effects  of  the  different 
drugs,  can  be  guilty  of  the  folly  of  trying  to  persuade  us  that  one  could 
serve  instead  of  the  other,  or  that  one  might  be  as  useful  as  the  other 
in  the  same  disease.  In  this  way  unreasonable  children  confound  es- 
sentially different  things,  because  they  can  hardly  distinguish  them 
according  to  their  exterior,  and  least  of  all,  according  to  their  value, 
their  true  significance,  and  their  extremely  diversified  properties. 

[92]  §  119.  If  this  is  the  truth,  as  it  certainly  is,  no  physician,  un- 
willing to  be  regarded  as  unreasonable,  or  to  disturb  his  clear  conscience, 
the  only  mark  of  man's  true  dignitv,  will  henceforth  apply  a  medicine 
in  the  treatment  of  diseases,  unless  he  is  fully  and  exactly  informed  of 
its  true  significance,  i.  e.,  the  virtual  effect  of  which,  upon  the  condition 
of  healthy  persons,  he  has  explored  so  thoroughly,  that  he  is  perfectly 
sure  of  its  ability  to  produce  a  very  similar  morbid  condition,  one  more 
similar  than  that  of  every  other  drug,  equally  well  known  to  him,  to 
the  disease  to  be  cured  ;  for  as  has  been  shown  above,  neither  man  nor 
great  nature  herself  can  heal  perfectly,  rapidly,  and  permanently  but 
by  means  of  a  homoeopathic  remedy.  No  real  physician  can  henceforth 
forego  such  experiments,  in  order  to  obtain  the  most  necessary  and  only 
knowledge  of  drugs  for  healing  purposes — this  knowledge  hitherto  neg- 
lected by  physicians  of  all  past  ages.  Posterity  will  scarcely  believe 
that  in  all  past  centuries  up  to  the  present  day,  physicians  were  content 
to  treat  diseases  by  blindly  prescribing  medicines  of  unknown  signifi- 
cance, and  unproved  with  regard  to  their  highly  important,  diversified, 
and  pure  dynamic  effects  upon  the  human  condition  ;  nay,  to  adminis- 
ter several  of  these  unknown  and  widely  different  powers  compounded 
in  one  recipe,  and  to  leave  chance  to  direct  the  result  upon  the  patient. 
This  is  the  way  in  which  a  maniac  would  enter  the  studio  of  an  artist. 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANOX.      205 

seizing  handfuls  of  very  different  and  unfamiliar  implements,  wherewith 
to  complete,  as  he  imagines,  the  works  of  art  he  sees  before  him.  That 
these  will  be  injured  and  irreparably  ruined  by  him,  it  is  unnecessary 
for  me  to  add. 

[93]  \  125.  New  green  peas,  beans,  and  perhaps  carrots  are  admis- 
sible as  being  probably  the  least  medicinal  among  green  vegetables. 

[94]  1 125.  The  prover  should  either  be  unaccustomed  to  undiluted 
wine,  spirits,  coffee  or  tea,  or  should  for  some  time  previously  have 
given  up  the  use  of  these  stimulating,  and  otherwise  medicinally  hurt- 
ful beverages. 

[95]  \  139.  Whoever  makes  such  experiments  known  to  the  medi- 
cal profession,  becomes  responsible  for  the  reliability  of  the  proving  per- 
son, and  the  statements  of  the  latter,  and  justly  so,  since  the  welfare 
of  suffering  humanity  is  involved. 

[96]  \  141.  By  making  his  own  person  the  subject  of  experiments, 
the  physician  will  derive  many  other  invaluable  advantages.  First  of 
all,  the  great  truth  will  appear  to  the  physician  in  the  light  of  an  in- 
controvertible fact  that  the  medicinal  quality  of  all  drugs,  the  basis  of 
their  healing  power,  lies  in  the  changes  of  sensorial  condition  perceived 
by  himself,  and  in  the  morbid  conditions  personally  observed  as  the  re- 
sult of  drugs  proved  upon  himself.  Furthermore,  the  necessity  of  be- 
stowing such  close  attention  upon  the  remarkable  phenomena  appearing 
in  his  own  person,  will  partly  lead  him  to  comprehend  the  significance 
of  his  own  feelings,  and  of  his  own  habits  of  thought  and  temperament 
(the  foundation. of  all  true  wisdom,  yvadi  aeavrbv),  and  partly  it  will 
educate  him  to  be  an  observer,  an  attribute  which  no  physician  should 
lack.  All  our  observations  made  upon  others  fail  to  exercise  the  attrac- 
tion we  feel  while  experimenting  upon  ourselves.  The  observer  of 
others  must  necessarily  always  fear  that  the  prover  of  a  drug  may  not 
have  felt  everything  as  distinctly  as  he  says,  or  that  he  may  not  have 
stated  his  feelings  in  the  appropriate  expression.  He  is  ever  in  doubt 
lest  he  may  have  been  partially  deceived.  This  almost  unavoidable 
obstacle  to  the  recognition  of  the  truth  in  eliciting  information  about 
disease-symptoms  artificially  originated  by  drugs  upon  others,  is  natu- 
rally precluded  from  the  expsriments  made  upon  one's  own  person.  A 
self-prover  knows  with  certainty  what  he  has  felt,  and  every  experiment 
of  the  kind  made  upon  himself  stimulates  him  to  explore  the  powers  of 
numerous  other  drugs.  In  this  manner  he  will  grow  more  and  more 
expert  in  the  art  of  observing,  so  indispensable  to  a  physician  as  long 
as  he  continues  to  make  himself  the  infallible  and  undeceptive  subject 
of  his  observations  ;  he  will  perceive  with  all  the  more  ardor,  because 
these  experiments  upon  himself,  without  deceiving  him,  promise  to 


206  NOTES    AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

teach  him  the  true  value  and  significance  of  many  yet  missing  agents 
necessary  for  healing  purposes.  JTo  fear  should  be  entertained  thav 
such  slight  ailments,  called  forth  by  taking  drugs  that  are  to  be  proved, 
would  ever  be  detrimental  to  the  health  of  the  prover.  Experience 
teaches,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  organism  of  the  prover,  by  re  per.  ted 
attacks  upon  the  healthy  condition,  will  become  all  the  more  accus- 
tomed to  repel  everything  of  an  injurious  character  attacking  the  body 
from  without,  as  well  as  all  kinds  of  artificial  and  natural  morbific  in- 
fluences, and  that  the  organism  will  become  inured  to  everything  of  a 
deleterious  nature  by  means  of  these  moderate  experiments  with  drugs. 

[97]  I  142.  Symptoms  observed,  either  in  past  stages  of  the  disease 
or  not  at  all,  and  which,  therefore,  must  have  been  new  symptoms 
peculiar  to  the  drug. 

[98]  \  143.  In  modern  times,  distant  and  unknown  persons  have 
been  employed  and  paid  for  proving  drugs,  and  their  reports  have  been 
printed.  But  this  most  important  business,  destined  to  lay  the  foun- 
dation for  the  only  true  healing  art,  and  demanding  the  most  positive 
moral  certainty  in  its  results,  seems  to  become  ambiguous  and  unreli- 
able by  such  practice,  and  to  lose  all  its  value. 

[99]  \  145.  At  first  I  was  the  only  one  who  made  the  proving  of 
medicinal  powers  the  most  important  of  all  his  duties.  Since  that  time 
I  have  been  assisted  in  this  by  a  number  of  young  men,  who  have  made 
experiments  upon  themselves,  and  whose  observations  I  have  carefully 
reviewed.  But  what  grand  curative  results  will  be  obtained  within  the 
whole  circumference  of  the  endless  realm  of  diseases,  as  soon  as  a 
greater  number  of  accurate  and  reliable  observers  shall  have  enriched 
this  only  genuine  science  of  Materia  Medica  by  meritorious  experiments 
upon  themselves!  The  calling  of  the  physician  will  then  approach  the 
infallibility  of  mathematical  sciences. 

[100]  .2  145.     Compare  note  86,  \  109. 

[101]  \  149.  But  this  often  very  laborious  search  and  selection  of  a 
homoeopathic  remedy  adapted  in  every  respect  to  the  morbid  condition 
in  hand,  is  a  business  demanding  the  study  of  the  original  sources,  and 
much  careful  circumspection,  as  well  as  serious  reflection,  notwithstand- 
ing the  existence  of  many  praiseworthy  books  intended  to  facilitate  the 
burdens  of  an  office,  which  finds  its  highest  reward  alone  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  having  faithfully  fulfilled  a  duty.  How  can  this  laborious, 
careful  occupation,  which  alone  furnishes  the  possibility  of  accomplish- 
ing the  best  cures  of  diseases,  be  expected  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the 
members  of  a  new  mongrel  sect,  who  boast  with  the  honorable  title  of 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANOX.      207 

homneopathist,  and  who,  for  the  sake  of  appearance,  make  prescriptions 
in  the  form  and  character  of  homoeopathic  medicines,  merely  snatched 
up  (quidquid  in  buccam  venit)  at  haphazard,  and  who,  if  the  inaccu- 
rately chosen  remedy  does  not  bring  immediate  relief,  do  not  throw  the 
blame  upon  their  inexcusable  indolence  and  carelessness  in  transacting 
the  most  important  and  serious  affairs  of  mankind,  but  who  saddle  the 
fault  upon  homoeopathy,  accusing  it  of  great  imperfections  (perhaps  be- 
cause it  does  not  supply  them  with  the  proper  homoeopathic  remedy  for 
every  morbid  condition  without  any  trouble  on  their  part,  after  the 
manner  of  certain  fabulous  pigeons  that  flew,  ready  roasted,  into  an 
open  mouth  ?).  But  like  smart  people,  they  do  not  allow  their  want  of 
success,  occasioned  by  their  scarcely  half-homceopathic  remedies,  to 
trouble  them ;  they  resort  at  once  to  their  more  familiar  allopathic  hob- 
bies, among  which  a  dozen  or  so  of  leeches,  applied  to  the  painful  part, 
or  a  little  innocent  bloodletting  of  about  eight  ounces,  etc.,  serves  to 
make  a  very  favorable  appearance  ;  and^  if  the  patient  recovers  in  spite 
of  all  this,  they  praise  their  bloodletting,  leeches,  etc.,  saying  that  with- 
out these  the  patient  could  not  have  been  saved  ;  and  they  try  to  have 
it  distinctly  understood  that  these  operations,  derived,  without  much 
deliberation,  from  the  pernicious  routine  of  the  old  school,  have  actu- 
ally been  most  conducive  to  the  successful  cure.  But  if  the  patient 
dies,  as  is  often  the  case,  they  quiet  the  sorrows  of  the  mourning  rela- 
tives by  reminding  them  "that  they  had  witnessed  themselves  that 
everything  possible  had  been  done  for  the  now  departed  patient." 
Who  would  honor  this  careless  and  pernicious  class  with  the  name  of 
homoeopathic  physicians  after  the  laborious  and  salutary  art  ?  May  their 
just  reward  await  them,  that,  if  ever  sick,  they  may  be  cured  after 
their  own  fashion  1 

[102]  §  153.  By  arranging  the  characteristic  symptoms,  particu- 
larly of  antipsoric  medicines,  Dr.  von  Boenninghausen  has  lately 
merited  our  renewed  gratitude  by  his  significant  little  book :  Sy- 
nopsis of  the  Sphere  of  the  Main  Effects  of  the  Antipsoric  Medicines 
(  Uebcrsicht  der  Hauptwirkungs-Sphare  der  Antips.  Arz.},  Munster,  by 
Coppenrath,  1833,  and  an  Appendix  to  the  same  (comprising  also,  anti- 
syphilitic  and  antisycotic  medicines),  attached  to  the  second  edition  of 
his  Systematic  Alphabetical  Repertory  of  Antipsoric  Medicines,  by  Cop- 
penrath, in  Munster. 

[103]  §  160.  This  elevation  of  drug-symptoms  above  the  analogous 
disease-symptoms,  resembling  an  aggravation,  has  also  been  noticed  by 
•  other  physicians,  whenever  chance  has  placed  a  homoeopathic  remedy 
in  their  hands.  When  a  patient,  afflicted  with  the  itch,  complains  of 
an  increase  of  the  eruption  after  having  taken  sulphur,  the  physician, 
ignorant  of  the  real  cause,  comforts  him  with  the  assurance  that  more 
of  the  itch  ought  to  come  out  before  it  can  be  cured ;  but  he  does  not 


208  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY   REMARKS 

know  that  it  is  a  sulphur-eruption  assuming  the  appearance  of  increased 
itch. 

Leroy,  Heilk.  fur  Mutter,  p.  406,  says  :  "  The  eruption  on  the  face 
cured  by  Viola  tricolor,  was  at  first  aggravated  by  this  medicine  (Pansy 
or  Heartsease),"  but  he  does  not  know  that  this  apparent  aggravation 
was  produced  by  the  overdose  of  this  medicine,  which  is  in  some 
respects  homoeopathic  to  the  case.  Lysons  (Med.  Transact.,  vol.  ii, 
London,  1772),  says:  "Elm  bark  is  most  sure  to  cure  those  cutaneous 
eruptions,  which  are  increased  in  the  beginning  of  its  use."  Had  he 
administered  this  bark  in  very  small  doses,  as  he  should  have  done  in 
accordance  with  the  similitude  of  symptoms,  i.  e.,  in  its  homoeopathic 
use,  instead  of  giving  it  in  enormous  doses  (common  in  allopathic  prac- 
tice), he  would  have  accomplished  a  cure  without,  or  at  least,  almost 
without  this  apparent  intensification  of  the  disease  (homoeopathic 
aggravation). 

[104]  §  161.  Although  the  effect  of  medicines,  the  duration  of  which 
is  naturally  a  long  one,  rapidly  comes  to  a  close  in  acute  diseases,  and 
most  rapidly  in  the  most  acute  diseases,  this  effect  is,  nevertheless, 
very  enduring  in  chronic  diseases  (engendered  by  psora) ;  hence  anti- 
psoric  medicines  frequently  do  not  manifest  such  homoeopathic  aggra- 
vation in  the  first  hours,  but  they  produce  it  later,  at  various  periods, 
during  the  first  eight  or  ten  days. 

[105]  §  181.  The  symptoms  proceed  from  the  remedy  unless  they 
were  caused  by  a  grave  error  in  diet,  a  violent  passion,  a  tumultuous 
process  within  the  organism,  the  appearance  or  decline  of  the  menses, 
conception,  parturition,  etc. 

[106]  \  183.  "Where  the  patient  finds  himself  in  a  very  distressed 
condition,  notwithstanding  the  indistinctness  of  his  symptoms  (which 
rarely  happens  in  chronic,  but  more  frequently  in  acute  diseases),  a  con- 
dition to  be  ascribed  to  the  benumbed  state  of  the  nerves,  which  pre- 
vents the  pains  and  complaints  of  the  patient  from  being  distinctly 
perceived,  here  opium  will  remove  this  depression  of  inner  nervous 
sensibility,  and  the  symptoms  of  the  disease  will  become  distinctly  per- 
ceptible in  the  after-effect. 

[107]  \  188.    One  of  the  many  pernicious  theories  of  the  old  school. 

[108]  \  194.  For  instance,  Aconitum,  Khus  radicans,  Belladonna, 
Mercurius,  etc. 

[109]  ?  197.    Fresh  itch  eruption,  chancre,  sycotic  excrescences. 

[110]  \  199.  The  remedies  for  sycotic  disease,  and  the  antipsoric 
remedies  were  unknown  before  my  time. 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      209 

[111]  2  201.  The  fontanels  of  the  old-school  physician  have  a  simi- 
lar effect,  in  the  form  of  artificial  ulcers  upon  external  parts ;  they  soothe 
internal  chronic  complaints,  but  only  for  a  very  short  time,  and  with- 
out curing  them  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  weaken  and  ruin  the  entire 
state  of  health,  much  more  than  the  instinctive  vital  force  could  do  by 
most  of  its  metastases. 

[112]  §  203.  Whatever  internal  medicines  were  used  in  the  case, 
they  only  served  to  augment  the  disease,  because  these  remedies  pos- 
sessed no  specific  curative  power  over  the  totality  of  the  evil,  but  rather 
undermined  the  organism  by  weakening  it,  and  by  engrafting  other 
chronic  diseases  upon  it. 

[113]  §  205.  Hence,  for  instance,  I  cannot  recommend  the  use  of 
the  cosmic  remedy,  Arsenic,  for  the  extermination  of  the  so-called  can- 
cer of  the  lips  or  face  (a  product  of  highly  developed  psora  ?),  not  only 
because  this  remedy  is  very  painful  and  often  unsuccessful,  but  more 
particularly  because  the  fundamental  disease  is  not  in  the  least  dimin- 
ished by  it,  even  if  this  dynamic  remedy  relieves  that  part  of  the  body 
which  is  affected  by  a  malignant  ulcer  ;  owing  to  this  failure,  the  main- 
taining power  of  life  is  compelled  to  transfer  the  focus  of  the  great 
inner  disease  to  a  more  vital  part  (which  is  the  case  in  every  meta- 
ptosis),  and  to  produce  blindness,  deafness,  insanity,  suffocative  asthma, 
anasarca,  apoplexy,  etc.  But  this  dubious  local  relief,  effected  in  part 
by  the  removal  of  a  malignant  ulcer  by  the  topical  application  of 
Arsenic,  will,  after  all,  succeed  only  where  the  ulcer  has  not  attained  a 
large  size,  and  only  while  the  vital  force  retains  its  energy  ;  but  during 
this  same  state  of  things,  it  is  still  possible  to  effect  a  complete  euro  of 
the  original  disease. 

The  same  result  may  be  observed  after  excision  of  cancer  of  the  face 
or  breast,  and  after  enucleation  of  the  encysted  tumors  ;  this  is  followed 
by  more  serious  consequences,  at  all  events,  death  is  hastened  ;  and 
notwithstanding  the  frequency  of  such  a  termination,  the  old  school 
blindly  pursues  the  same  course  in  every  new  case,  causing  equally  de- 
plorable disasters. 

[114]  §  205.    Itch  eruption,  chancre  (bubo),  condyloid  excrescences. 

[115]  £  206.  In  making  inquiries  of  this  kind,  we  should  not  allow 
ourselves  to  be  deceived  by  the  assertions  of  patients  or  their  attendants, 
who  frequently  state  the  cause  of  inveterate,  nay,  of  the  greatest  and 
most  protracted  diseases,  to  be  a  cold  taken  many  years  ago  (from  wet, 
or  cold  drafts  after  being  heated),  or  some  previous  fright,  strain,  or  mor- 
tification (and  even  witchcraft),  etc.  Such  causes  are  much  too  slight 
to  produce  an  inveterate  disease  in  a  healthy  body,  to  sustain  it  for 
years,  and  to  augment  it  from  year  to  year  after  the  manner  of  chronic 

14 


210  XOTES    AND   EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

diseases,  produced  by  developed  psora.  Incomparably  greater  causes 
than  those  within  the  patient's  recollection,  must  lie  at  the  root  of  the 
beginning  and  progress  of  any  significant  and  obstinate  malady  ;  those 
presumptive  incidents  can  only  serve  as  accessory  causes,  by  which  a 
chronic  miasm  is  aroused. 

[116]  ?  210.  In  painful  diseases,  for  instance,  of  several  years' 
standing,  we  frequently  meet  with  gentle  dispositions,  commanding 
respect  and  compassion  on  the  part  of  the  physician  for  the  patient. 
But  as  soon  as  the  disease  is  conquered,  and  the  patient  restored  to 
health — a  possibility  of  frequent  occurrence  under  homoeopathic  treat- 
ment— the  physician  will  often  be  amazed  and  shocked  at  the  frightful 
changes  in  the  disposition  of  the  patient..  Ingratitude,  obduracy,  re- 
fined malice,  and  the  most  disgraceful  and  revolting  caprices  are  then 
often  seen  to  reappear,  all  of  which  were  peculiar  to  the  patient  in  times 
of  health. 

Persons  who  are  patient  in  health,  are  often  found  in  sickness  to  be 
obstinate,  violent,  and  hasty,  or  intolerant  and  wilful,  impatient  or 
despairing ;  those  who  were  previously  chaste  and  modest,  are  then 
found. lascivious  and  shameless.  A  bright  intellect  is  not  infrequently 
found  to  be  dull ;  a  person  commonly  of  weak  mind,  on  the  other  hand, 
will  be  more  shrewd  and  sensible  ;  while  one  of  sluggish  intellect, 
sometimes  shows  great  presence  of  mind,  and  promptness,  resolu- 
tion, etc. 

[117]  |  213.  Thus,  Aconitum  napellus  will  rarely  or  new  produce 
a  rapid  or  permanent  cure  in  a  patient  of  calm  and  complacent  dispo- 
sition, as  little  as  Nux  vomica  will  affect  a  mild  phlegmatic,  or  Pulsa- 
tilla  a  happy,  cheerful,  and  obstinate  temperament ;  or  as  little  as 
Ignatia  proves  efficacious  in  an  unchangeable  state  of  mind,  inclined 
neither  to  fright  nor  to  grief. 

[118]  \  222.  Cases  rarely  occur,  where  a  protracted  disease  of  the 
mind  or  temperament  subsides  of  its  own  accord  (by  the  return  of  the 
inner  disease  into  the  coarser  bodily  organs).  These  are  the  rare  cases 
in  which  an  inmate  of  the  lunatic  asylum  is  dismissed  seemingly  cured. 
But  for  these  instances,  all  mad-houses  would  remain  filled  to  the  roof, 
so  that  the  multitude  of  candidates  waiting  for  admission,  could  scarcely 
ever  be  accommodated  in  these  institutions,  unless  vacancies  were 
created  by  the  death  of  some  of  the  patients.  None  are  'ever  really  and 
permanently  cured  in  these  establishments.  A  strong  proof,  among  many 
others,  of  the  total  inefficiency  of  the  old  practice,  which  allopathic 
ostentation  ridiculously  honors  by  the  appellation  of  rational  practice. 
How  often,  on  the  contrary,  has  not  the  true  healing  art,  pure  homoe- 
opathy, restored  to  these  sufferers  the  possession  of  their  mental  and 
bodily  health,  returning  them  to  their  friends  and  to  the  world. 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.     211 

[119]  \  224.  It  seems  as  if  the  mind  received  the  truth  of  these 
rational  admonitions  with  displeasure  and  sadness,  and  as  if  it  acted 
upon  the  body  for  the  purpose  of  restoring  the  disturbed  equilibrium  ; 
but  it  appears  also,  as  if  the  body,  by  means  of  its  disease,  reacted 
upon  the  organs  of  the  mind  and  temperament,  thus  creating  in  them 
a  higher  state  of  excitement  by  again  transferring  its  suffering  to  these 


[120]  \  228.  We  behold  with  amazement,  the  hard-heartedness  and 
recklessness  of  physicians  of  numerous  establishments  for  the  insane, 
not  only  in  England,  but  also  in  Germany.  Ignorant  of  the  true  man- 
ner of  treating  such  diseases  by  means  of  effective  homoeopathic  (anti- 
psoric)  medicines,  these  men  content  themselves  with  tormenting  the 
poor  sufferers,  by  the  most  violent  blows  and  other  tortures.  By  these 
unprincipled  and  revolting  measures  they  degrade  themselves  beneath 
the  rank  of  overseers  of  houses  of  correction ;  for  the  latter  merely 
fulfil  their  duty  in  punishing  offenders,  while  the  former  seem  to  vent 
their  rage  on  the  apparent  incurability  of  mental  diseases.  In  the  ab- 
ject consciousness  of  their  professional  inability,  too  ignorant  to  relieve, 
and  too  indolent  to  accept  a  more  appropriate  method  of  treatment, 
they  maltreat  those  miserable  but  innocent  sufferers. 

[121]  \  232.  Two  or  three  kinds  of  conditions  (states  or  stages), 
may  appear  alternately.  In  double  alternate  conditions,  for  instance, 
certain  pains  may  invariably  appear  in  the  feet,  etc.,  as  soon  as  a  cer- 
tain form  of  ophthalmia  vanishes  ;  which  will  again  supervene,  as  soon 
as  the  pain  in  the  limbs  has  temporarily  disappeared.  Convulsions  and 
cramps  may  alternate  directly  with  another  affection  of  the  body,  or 
one  of  its  parts.  In  threefold  alternate  stages  of  some  constitutional 
(alltagigen)  illness,  periods  of  apparently  improved  health  and  of 
heightened  mental  and  bodily  powers  (exaggerated  hilarity,  increased 
vivacity  of  the  body  and  flow  of  spirits,  unnatural  appetite,  etc.),  may 
rapidly  take  place ;  whereupon  sullenness  and  gloominess  of  temper,  or 
an  intolerable  hypochondriac  state  of  the  mind,  combined  with  various 
functional  disturbances  in  regard  to  sleep,  digestion,  etc.,  may  appear 
quite  as  unexpectedly ;  this,  in  its  turn,  may  be  replaced  with  equal 
suddenness  by  the  moderate  indisposition  of  ordinary  times.  The 
same  is  observable  in  many  kinds  of  alternate  conditions.  Frequently 
not  a  trace  is  left  of  the  previous  stage,  when  the  new  one  appears. 
In  other  cases  only  a  few  marks  of  the  preceding  alternate  state  are 
found  when  the  new  one  appears.  Little  is  left  of  the  symptoms  of  the 
former  condition,  at  the  appearance  and  during  the  progress  of  the  next. 
Sometimes  the  morbid  alternate  conditions  are  essentially  of  an  oppo- 
site nature,  e.  g.,  melancholy  alternating  periodically  with  hilarious  in- 
sanity, or  raving  madness. 


212  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY   REMARKS 

[122]  $  235.  Pathology,  which  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  knows  only  of 
one  intermittent  (alternating)  fever,  also  called  ague  (cold  fever).  This 
science  assumes  that  there  is  no  other  difference  than  that  of  the  time 
of  recurrence  of  these  attacks,  which  are  accordingly  styled  quotidian, 
tertian,  quartan,  etc.  But  besides  the  periods  of  recurrence  of  inter- 
mittent fevers,  there  are  differences  of  far  greater  importance.  There 
are  countless  forms  of  such  fevers,  many  of  which  cannot  even  be  termed 
fever  and  ague,  because  their  paroxysms  consist  only  of  heat ;  others 
have  only  a  cold  stage,  with  or  without  subsequent  perspiration  ;  still 
others,  which  are  marked  by  coldness  of  the  whole  body,  together  with 
a  sensation  of  heat,  or  by  external  heat  with  chills  ;  others  again, 
where  one  paroxysm  consists  only  of  rigors  or  coldness,  with  subsequent 
feeling  of  relief,  but  where  the  next  paroxysm  consists  only  of  heat, 
with  or  without  subsequent  perspiration  ;  others  again,  where  the  heat 
appears  first  and  the  chill  afterwards  ;  others  again,  where  chills  and 
heat  are  followed  by  apyrexia,  and  whereupon  perspiration  appears 
alone,  constituting  the  second  attack,  often  following  many  hours  after- 
wards ;  others  againj  where  perspiration  is  wanting  altogether,  or 
where  the  entire  attack,  without  either  chills  or  heat,  consists  only  of 
perspiration,  or  where  the  perspiration  is  present  only  during  the  hot 
stage.  Of  this  kind  there  are  still  innumerable  other  differences,  par- 
ticularly in  regard  to  the  collateral  symptoms,  such  as  the  particular 
kind  of  headache,  bad  taste  in  the  mouth,  nausea,  vomiting,  diarrhoea, 
the  absence  or  presence  of  thirst,  the  particular  kinds  of  pain  of  the 
body  or  limbs,  sleep,  delirium,  mental  affections,  convulsions,  etc., 
occurring  before,  during,  or  after  the  chill ;  before,  during,  or  after 
the  heat ;  before,  during,  or  after  the  perspiration,  and  countless  other 
deviations  of  this  kind.  All  of  these  are  evidently  intermittent  fevers 
of  very  different  kinds,  each  of  which  naturally  demands  its  own 
(homoeopathic)  treatment.  It  must  be  confessed  that  almost  all  of  them 
can  be  suppressed  (as  often  is  the  case)  by  large  and  enormous  doses  of 
Cinchona  bark,  or  its  pharmaceutical  preparation,  sulphate  of  quinine ; 
that  is  to  say,  their  periodical  recurrence  (the  type)  is  extinguished  by 
this  drug,  though  frequently  not  without  increased  and  oft-repeated 
doses,  but  patients  who  had  suffered  from  such  intermittents  unsuited 
for  Cinchona,  like  all  those  epidemic  intermittents  traversing  entire 
countries,  and  even  mountains,  are  never  cured  by  the  mere  extinction 
of  their  typical  character.  On  the  contrary,  those  patients  only  remain 
diseased  in  another  way,  and  often  much  more  seriously  than  before,  by 
peculiar  chronic  Cinchona  diseases,  which  resist  even  the  efforts  of  the 
true  healing  art,  though  persisted  in  for  a  long  time.  Can  such  results 
be  called  cures  ? 

[123]  $  235.  Dr.  Yon  Boenninghausen,  who  has  done  more  in  be- 
half of  our  salutary  art  than  any  other  of  my  disciples,  was  the  first  to 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  OROANOX.     213 

furnish  an  admirable  illustration  of  this  subject,  and  he  has  facilitated 
the  selection  of  appropriate  remedies  for  the  greatest  variety  of  fever 
epidemics  by  his  book,  Versuch  einer  HomoeopathiscJien  Therapie  far 
WecJiselfieber  (An  Attempt  at  Homoeopathic  Therapeutics  of  Intermittent 
Fevers),  1833.  Munster  near  Kegensburg. 

[124]  <j  236.  This  is  illustrated  by  the  not  infrequent  cases  of  death 
where  a  moderate  dose  of  opium,  administered  during  the  cold  stage  of 
the  fever,  speedily  destroyed  life. 

[125]  §  244.  Larger  and  oft-repeated  doses  of  Peruvian  bark,  or  even 
concentrated  preparations  of  bark,  like  sulphate  of  quinine,  may  indeed 
rid  such  patients  of  the  typical  attacks  of  marsh-intermittents ;  but 
those  who  were  deceived  in  this  respect  will  remain  diseased  in  another 
manner,  unless  relieved  by  antipsoric  remedies. 

[126]  \  246.  In  the  former  editions  of  the  Organon  I  have  recom- 
mended that  a  single  dose  of  a  well-selected  homoeopathic  remedy  should 
be  allowed  to  terminate  its  operation  before  the  same  or  a  new  remedy 
is  repeated,  a  doctrine  derived  from  the  certain  experience  that  the 
greatest  amount  of  good  can  scarcely  ever  be  accomplished,  particularly 
in  chronic  diseases,  by  a  large  dose  of  medicine  (a  retrogressive  measure 
recently  proposed),  however  well-selected ;  or,  whatamounts  to  the  same 
thing,  by  several  small  doses  administered  in  rapid  succession,  because 
a  procedure  of  this  kind  will  not  permit  the  vital  force  to  undergo  im- 
perceptibly the  change  from  the  natural  disease  to  the  similar  drug- 
disease.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  usually  excited  to  violent  revulsive 
action  by  one  large  dose,  or  by  the  quick  succession  of  several  smaller 
doses,  so  that  the  reaction  of  the  vital  force,  in  most  cases,  is  anything 
but  beneficial,  doing  more  harm  than  good.  Therefore,  while  it  was  im- 
possible to  discover  a  more  salutary  method  than  the  one  proposed  by 
me,  it  was  necessary  to  obey  the  philanthropic  rule  of  precaution,  si  non 
juvat,  viodo  ne  noceat;  in  accordance  with  which  maxim  the  homoeo- 
pathic physician,  considering  human  welfare  to  be  his  highest  aim,  was 
to  administer  but  one  most  minute  dose  at  a  time  of  a  carefully  selected 
medicine  in  a  case  of  disease,  to  allow  this  dose  to  act  upon  the  patient, 
and  to  terminate  its  action.  I  say  most  minute,  since  it  holds  good,  and 
will  continue  to  hold  good  as  an  incontrovertible  homoeopathic  rule  of 
cure,  that  the  best  dose  of  the  correctly  selected  medicine  will  always 
be  the  smallest  in  one  of  the  high  potencies  (X)  for  chronic  as  well  as 
for  acute  diseases, — a  truth  which  is  the  invaluable  property  of  pure 
homceopathy,  and  which  will  continue  to  stand  as  an  imperishable  bar- 
rier to  shield  true  homoeopathy  from  quackery  ( Afterkunste)  as  long  as 
allopathy  (and  no  less  the  practice  of  the  modern  mongrel  sect  com- 
posed of  a  mixture  of  allopathy  and  homoeopathy)  continues  like  a 


214  NOTES  AND   EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

cancer  to  undermine  the  life  of  suffering  men,  and  to  destroy  them  by 
large  doses  of  medicine. 

On  the  other  hand,  practice  proves  to  us  that  a  single  small  dose  may 
be  sufficient,  particularly  in  light  cases  of  disease,  to  accomplish  nearly 
all  that  could,  for  the  present,  be  expected  from  the  medicine,  especi- 
ally in  the  case  of  infants  and  very  tender,  susceptible  adults.  It  also 
becomes  .evident  that  in  many,  nay,  in  most  cases  of  very  protracted 
and  inveterate  diseases  (often  aggravated  by  previous  inappropriate 
drugs),  as  well  as  in  serious  acute  affections,  such  a  minute  dose,  even  of 
our  highly  rarefied  medicines,  will  be  insufficient  to  produce  all  the  cura- 
tive effects  that  might,  in  general,  be  expected  to  result  from  the  medicine. 
Hence  it  may  undoubtedly  be  found  necessary  to  administer  several 
doses  of  the  same  medicine  for  the  purpose  of  altering  pathogenetically 
the  vital  force  to  such  an  extent,  and  to  raise  its  curative  reaction  to 
such  a  degree  of  tension,  as  to  enable  it  to  extinguish  completely  an  en- 
tire portion  of  the  original  disease,  as  far  as  this  object  could  be  reached 
by  any  well-selected  homoeopathic  remedy.  The  best-selected  medicine, 
in  a  single  small  dose,  would  perhaps  bring  some  relief  in  such  cases, 
but  far  from  enough. 

A  careful  homoeopathic  physician  would  scarcely  dare  to  repeat  the 
dose  of  the  same  remedy  again  and  again,  since  no  advantage  was 
ever  gained  by  such  a  course,  but,  on  accurate  observation,  certain  dis- 
advantages have  most  frequently  been  seen  to  follow.  Exacerbations 
have  been  commonly  noticed,  even  after  the  smallest  dose  of  the  most 
appropriate  remedy,  whenever  it  was  repeated  for  two  or  three  succes- 
sive days. 

A  homoeopathic  physician,  convinced  of  the  homoeopathic  fitness  of 
his  chosen  remedy,  and  desirous  of  relieving  his  patient  in  a  shorter 
time  than  he  had  hitherto  succeeded  in  doing  by  means  of  a  single 
small  dose,  naturally  arrives  at  the  conclusion  that,  as  long  as  a  single 
dose  is  to  be  administered  (for  reasons  detailed  above),  this  dose  might 
as  well  be  increased  ;  and  that  instead  of  a  single  fine  pellet  moistened 
with  the  highest  attenuation,  six,  seven  or  eight  pellets,  or  even  whole 
drops  of  the  dilution  might  be  given  at  once.  But  unexceptionally  the 
result  was  less  favorable  than  it  should  have  been  ;  often  it  was  actu- 
ally injurious  and  detrimental — an  evil  difficult  to  repair  in  a  patient 
treated  in  that  manner. 

Neither  will  low  potencies  of  the  remedy,  in  large  doses,  lead  to  a  bet 
ter  result. 

Experience  teaches  that  the  desired  object  will  never  be  gained  by  in- 
creasing the  single  doses  of  a  homoeopathic  medicine  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  the  pathogenetic  excitement  of  the  vital  force  up  to  the  point 
of  sufficient  curative  action.  The  vital  force  would  be  too  violently 
and  too  suddenly  affected  and  aroused,  than  that  it  could  have  time  to 
prepare  for  a  gradual,  even,  and  salutary  counteraction;  hence  it  en- 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.     215 

deavors  to  throw  off  the  surplus  of  the  medicinal  assailant  by  vomiting, 
diarrhoea,  fever,  perspiration,  etc.  Thus  the  object  of  the  inconsider- 
ate physician  is,  in  a  great  measure,  placed  out  of  reach,  or  entirely 
frustrated.  Little  or  nothing  is  accomplished  toward  the  cure  of  the 
disease ;  on  the  contrary,  the  patient  is  visibly  weakened,  and  for  a 
long  time  a  repetition,  even  of  the  smallest  dose  of  the  same  remedy,  is 
aot  to  be  thought  of,  lest  it  should  have  an  undesirable  effect  upon  the 
patient. 

A  number  of  small  doses,  repeated  for  the  same  purpose  in  quick 
succession,  will  accumulate  in  the  organism  till  they  constitute,  as  it 
were,  one  large  dose,  and  will  produce  the  same  evil  result,  except  in 
some  rare  instances.  The  vital  force,  unable  to  recover  during  the  in- 
terval even  between  small  doses,  is  overtasked  and  overpowered,  inca- 
pacitated to  begin  curative  reaction,  and  compelled  to  continue  pas- 
sively the  predominant  drug-disease-  forced  upon  it.  This  process  is 
similar  to  that  produced  by  the  large  and  accumulating  allopathic  doses 
of  a  drug,  resulting  in  protracted  injury  to  the  patient,  an  event  we  are 
daily  called  upon  to  witness. 

Now,  in  order  to  avoid  the  errors  here  pointed  out,  to  gain  the  desired 
object  with  greater  certainty  than  before,  and  to  administer  the  selected 
remedy  in  such  a  manner  that  it  may  do  the  greatest  amount  of  good 
to  the  patient  without  injury,  and  finally,  in  order  that,  in  a  given  dis- 
ease, the  medicine  may  accomplish  as  much  as  could  possibly  be  ex- 
pected, I  have  recently  adopted  a  peculiar  course. 

I  perceived  that,  in  order  to  pursue  the  correct  medium  course,  we 
should  be  guided  by  the  nature  of  the  different  medicines,  as  well  as  by 
the  bodily  constitution  of  the  patient,  and  the  magnitude  of  his  disease. 
Let  us  take,  for  example,  the  use  of  Sulphur  in  chronic  (psoric)  dis- 
eases ;  its  finest  dose  (Tinct.  Sulph.  X°),  even  in  the  case  of  robust  per- 
sons afflicted  with  developed  psora,  is  rarely  to  be  repeated  with  advan- 
tage oftener  than  once  in  seven  days ;  this  space  of  time  must  be  extended 
still  more  in  the  treatment  of  weakly  and  susceptible  patients,  when  it 
will  be  well  to  administer  such  a  dose  only  once  in  nine,  twelve  or  four- 
teen days,  to  be  repeated  until  the  medicine  ceases  to  be  serviceable. 
In  such  cases  it  will  be  found  that  in  psoric  diseases  rarely  less  than 
four,  but  often  six,  eigh.t,  and  even  ten  such  doses  ( Tinct.  Sulph.  X°),  ad- 
ministered successively  at  such  intervals,  are  required  for  the  complete 
extinction  of  that  portion  of  the  chronic  disease  which  Sulphur  (to 
continue  the  example)  is  capable  of  extinguishing,  provided  no  allo- 
pathic abuse  of  Sulphur  had  occurred  previously.  In  this  manner,  a 
newly  originated  (primary)  itch-eruption  attacking  a  sufficiently  robust 
person,  and  even  if  it  had  extended  over  the  whole  body,  can  be  cured  in 
ten  or  twelve  weeks  by  administering  every  seventh  day  a  dose  of  tinct.  Sulf. 
X°  (that  is,  with  ten  or  twelve  globules) ;  nor  will  it  often  be  necessary  to 
make  '.ise  of  a  few  doses  of  Carbo  veg.  X°  (also  at  the  rate  of  one  dose 


216  NOTES   AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

a  week) ;  the  cure  May,  therefore,  be  perfected  without  the  least  ex- 
ternal treatment,  excepting  frequent  change  of  linen  and  well-regulated 
regimen. 

Although  from  eight  to  ten  doses  of  Tinct.  Sulph.  X°  may  be  gener- 
ally considered  as  sufficient  in  other  great  chronic  diseases^  it  is,  never- 
theless preferable,  instead  of  applying  the  doses  in  uninterrupted  suc- 
cession, to  give  a  dose  of  another  medicine  which,  next  to  Sulphur,  is 
most  homoeopathic  to  the  case  (generally  Hep.  sulph.),  after  each,  or 
after  every  second  or  third  dose  of  the  latter  ;  and  to  allow  this  new 
dose  to  operate  from  eight  to  fourteen  days  before  a  second  series  of 
three  doses  of  Sulphur  is  again  resorted  to. 

Not  infrequently  the  vital  force  is  indisposed  to  submit  to  the  action 
of  several  successive  doses  of  Sulphur,  even  at  the  stated  intervals,  and 
however  well. the  medicine  may  have  been  adapted  to  the  chronic  evil, 
the  repugnance  of  the  vital  power  will  be  indicated  by  some  moderate 
sulphur-symptoms,  which  appear  during  the  treatment.  In  this  case 
it  is  sometimes  advisable  to  give  a  small  dose  of  Nux  vom.  X°,  and 
to  permit  this  to  act  from  eight  to  ten  days,  so  that  nature  may  again 
become  disposed  to  allow  Sulphur  in  continued  doses,  to  act  quietly 
and  with  beneficial  result.  In  some  cases,  Pulsatilla  X°  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred. 

If  Sulphur  had  been  allopathically  misapplied  (even  several  years 
before),  the  vital  force  will  resist  the  effects  of  that  medicine,  though 
decidedly  indicated ;  in  that  case  -even,  visible  aggravations  of  the 
chronic  disease  will  be  manifested  by  the  vital  force,  after  the  smallest 
dose  of  Sulphur,  nay  even  after  smelling  of  a  pellet  moistened  with 
Tinct.  Sulph.  X.  This  is  a  deplorable  circumstance,  which  renders  the 
best  medical  treatment  almost  useless  ;  and  still  it  is  only  one  out  of 
numerous  instances  of  allopathically  maltreated  chronic  diseases,  for 
which,  however,  we  possess  some  means  of  reparation. 

In  such  cases,  it  is  merely  necessary  to  let  the  patient  apply  one  pellet 
moistened  with  Mercur.  Metall.  X  to  his  nostrils,  and  to  take  a  deep 
inspiration  through  the  nose  (stark  riechen  lassen),  and  to  let  this  dose, 
applied  through  olfaction,  operate  for  nine  days,  in  order  to  make  the 
vital  force  again  susceptible  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  Sulphur  (at  least 
by  smelling  of  Tinct.  Sulph.  X°,  a  discovery  for  .which  we  are  indebted 
to  Dr.  Griesselich  of  Carl«ruhe), 

Of  the  other  antipsoric  remedies  (perhaps  excepting  Phosph.  X)  fewer 
doses  are  to  be  given  at  similar  intervals  (Sepia  and  Silicea  are  to  be 
given  at  longer  intervals,  where  they  are  honvjeopathically  indicated, 
without  intercurrent  remedies),  in  order  to  extinguish  all  that  the  indi- 
cated remedy  is  capable  oi  curing.  Hepar  sulph.  calc.  is  rarely  to  be 
administered  internally  or  by  olfaction,  in  shorter  periods  than  fourteen 
or  fifteen  days. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  physician  should  be  fully  convinced  of  the 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      217 

accuracy  of  his  selection  of  the  remedy  before  attempting  a  repetition 
of  doses. 

In  acute  diseases,  the  time  for  the  repetition  of  the  proper  remedy  is 
regulated  by  the  rate  at  which  the  disease  runs  its  course  ;  here  it  may 
often  be  necessary  to  repeat  the  medicine  in  twenty-four,  sixteen. 
twelve,  eight,  four  hours,  and  less,  while  the  medicine,  without  origi- 
nating new  complaints,  continues  to  produce  uninterrupted  improve- 
ment ;  but  where  this  improvement  is  not  sufficiently  marked,  consider- 
ing the  dangerous  rapidity  of  the  acute  disease,  the  interval  must  be 
still  further  lessened.  Thus  in  cases  of  cholera,  the  most  rapidly  fatal 
disease  known  to  us,  it  is  necessary  in  the  beginning  to  give  one  or  two 
drops  of  a  weak  solution  of  Camphor  every  five  minutes,  in  order  to 
insure  speedy  and  certain  relief ;  while  in  the  more  developed  stages, 
we  may  be  called  upon  to  employ  doses  of  Cuprum,  Veratrum,  Phos- 
phorus, etc.  (X°),  every  two  or  three  hours ;  or  to  give  Arsenicum, 
Carbo  veg.,  etc.,  at  similar  intervals. 

In  the  treatment  of  so-called  nervous  fevers  and  other  continued 
fevers,  the  repetition  of  the  dose  of  the  effective  medicine  is  also  gov- 
erned by  the  foregoing  rules. 

In  pure  syphilitic  diseases,  I  have  commonly  found  one  dose  of  me- 
tallic Mercury  (X°)  to  be  sufficient.  But  not  infrequently,  two  or  three 
doses,  administered  at  intervals  of  six  or  eight  days,  were  necessary, 
whenever  the  least  complication  with  psora  was  visible. 

In  cases  where  one  remedy  or  another  was  strongly  indicated,  but 
where  the  patient  is  very  excitable  and  weak,  the  application  of  a 
remedy  by  olfaction  is  more  efficacious  and  safe  than  the  administra- 
tion of  a  substantial  dose  of  homoaopathic  medicine,  however  fine  and 
highly  potentiated.  This  is  done  by  holding  the  mouth  of  the  vial, 
containing  one  small  globule  moistened  with  the  medicine,  first  to  one 
nostril,  and  if  the  dose  is  to  be  still  more  efficacious,  also  to  the  other 
nostril  of  the  patient,  who  takes  a  momentary  inspiration,  the  effect 
of  which  continues  quite  as  long  as  that  of  the  substantial  doses  ;  hence 
this  process  of  olfaction  is  not  to  be  repeated  at  shorter  intervals,  than 
if  th«  medicine  had  been  given  in  substantial  form. 

[127]  \  249.  Since  experience  proves  that  a  dose  of  a  specific  ho- 
moaopathic  medicine  can  scarcely  be  prepared  too  small  to  produce  a 
distinct  improvement  in  a  disease  to  which  it  is  adapted  ($§  161,  279), 
it  would  be  contrary  to  our  purpose,  and  hurtful  to  repeat  the  same 
medicine,  or  to  increase  the  dose  in  the  absence  of  an  improvement,  or 
whenever  an  aggravation,  however  slight,  should  make  its  appearance  ; 
in  doing  so,  we  would  be  guilty  of  following  the  method  of  the  old 
school,  and  of  acting  under  the  delusion  that  the  small  quantity  of 
medicine  (too  small  a  dose)  could  not  be  efficacious.  E eery  aggravation 
evinced  by  new  symptoms—  provided  no  errors  have  beeu  committee!  with 


218  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

regard  to  physical  and  moral  regimen — only  proves  the  unsuitableness  of 
the  medicine  last  administered  in  the  case  of  disease,  but  it  never  is  an 
indication  of  the  weakness  of  the  dose. 

[128]  \  251.  I  have  discussed  this  subject  more  fully  in  the  intro- 
duction to  Ignatia  (Mat.  Med.,  Part  2d). 

[129]  §  253.  The  indications  of  improvement  with  regard  to  mind 
and  temperament,  ai-e  only  to  be  observed  soon  after  the  exhibition  of 
the  medicine,  provided  the  dose  had  been  sufficiently  small  (i.  e.,  as 
small  as  possible) ;  an  unnecessarily  large  dose,  even  of  the  most  ho- 
moeopathically  adapted  medicine,  acts  too  violently,  disturbing  the  mind 
and  temperament  too  much,  and  too  continuously  in  the  beginning,  to 
allow  the  improvement  in  them  to  be  seen  early.  I  must  remark  here, 
that  this  necessary  rule  is  most  frequently  violated  by  conceited  begin- 
ners in  homoaopathy,  and  by  those  who  come  over  from  the  ranks  of 
the  old  school.  Actuated  by  inveterate  prejudices,  they  shun  the 
smallest  doses  of  the  highest  dilutions  of  medicines  in  these  cases,  and 
are,  therefore,  deprived  of  the  great  advantages  and  blessings  derived 
from  a  method,  which  has  been  established  as  salutary  by  countless 
experiences ;  they  cannot  achieve  as  much  as  true  homoeopathy  can 
accomplish,  and  hence,  unjustly  claim  to  be  its  disciples. 

[130]  I  259.  The  distant  and  mellow  tones  of  the  flute  which,  in 
the  silent  hours  of  night,  would  melt  a  tender  heart,  and  call  forth 
celestial  emotions  and  religious  sentiments,  are  drowned  by  the  dis- 
cordant and  tumultuous  sounds  of  the  busy  day. 

[131]  \  260.  Coffee ;  Chinese  tea,  or  other  herb  teas  ;  beer  contain- 
ing medicinal  vegetable  substances  unadapted  to  the  condition  of  the 
patient ;  so-called  cordials,  prepared  from  medicinal  spices ;  all  kinds 
of  punch  ;  spiced  chocolate ;  scented  water  and  perfumes  of  various 
kinds ;  highly  odorous  flowers  cultivated  in  the  chamber ;  medicated 
tooth-powder  or  washes  ;  perfumes  inclosed  in  bags  or  cushions  ;  highly 
seasoned  food  or  sauces  ;  spiced  pastry  or  ices  ;  raw  medicinal  herbs  in 
soups ;  pot-herbs,  tender  shoots  and  roots  possessing  medicinal  proper- 
ties ;  old  cheese  and  tainted  animal  food,  or  the  flesh  and  fat  of  pigs, 
ducks,  geese,  or  young  veal,  and  acid  food,  etc.,  all  of  which  produce 
collateral  medicinal  effects,  are  carefully  to  be  kept  from  patients  of 
this  kind.  Excesses  at  table  ;  the  excessive  use  of  sugar  and  salt,  as 
well  as  spirituous  liquors  ;  heated  rooms  ;  woollen  clothes  next  to  the 
skin  (which,  in  warm  weather,  is  first  to  be  replaced  by  cotton  and 
then  by  linen) ;  sedentary  habits  in  close  apartments  ;  passive  exer- 
cise, such  as  riding,  driving,  rocking ;  protracted  suckling  of  infants ; 
the  habit  of  sleeping  in  bed  too  long  after  dinner ;  nocturnal  occupa- 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGAXON.    219 

tions  ;  the  enervating  effects  induced  by  the  perusal  of  obscene  books  ; 
objects  of  anger,  grief,  and  vexation  ;  the  passion  for  gaming  ;  exces- 
sive exertion  of  mind  and  body  ;  residence  in  a  marshy  locality  ;  damp 
rooms ;  penurious  living,  etc.  :  all  these  conditions  and  circumstances 
should  be  carefully  avoided  and  removed,  lest  the  cure  might  be  im- 
peded or  rendered  impossible.  Some  of  my  disciples  appear  to  impose 
unnecessary  restrictions  on  their  patients,  by  prohibiting  a  still  greater 
number  of  quite  indifferent  things,  a  course  which  is  not  to  be  sanc- 
tioned. 

[132]  \  263.  This,  however,  is  rare.  In  purely  inflammatory  dis- 
eases, for  instance,  where  Aconite,  a  medicine  easily  counteracted 
in  the  organism  by  the  use  of  vegetable  acid,  is  indispensable,  the  pa- 
tient generally  experiences  a  desire  for  pure  cold  water. 

[133]  §  266.  All  crude  animal  and  vegetable  substances  possess  a 
greater  or  less  amount  of  medicinal  properties,  and  each,  after  its  own 
manner,  is  capable  of  altering  the  sensorial  condition  (health)  of  man. 
Those  plants  and  animals  used  as  food  by  civilized  nations,  are  prefer- 
able on  account  of  the  large  amount  of  nutritious  matter  contained  in 
them  ;  they  also  differ  from  others  in  this,  that  the  medicinal  properties 
of  their  crude  condition  are  less  prominent,  and  that  these  properties  are 
diminished  by  culinary  processes  ;  for  instance,  by  pressing  out  the 
hurtful  juices  (like  that  of  the  South  American  Cassava),  by  fermenta- 
tions (like  that  of  rye  flour  when  made  into  dough  for  bread ;  the  prep- 
aration of  sourkraut  and  pickles,  without  vinegar),  by  smoking,  by 
heat  (in  boiling,  frying,  broiling,  roasting,  baking),  by  which  means 
the  medicinal  elements  are  partially  destroyed  and  evaporated.  Through 
the  addition  of  salt  or  vinegar  (in  pickling  and  preparation  of  sauces 
and  salads),  these  animal  and  vegetable  substances  may  lose  a  part  of 
their  medicinal  properties,  but  injurious  qualities  of  another  kind  are 
produced. 

Plants,  even,  of  strong  medicinal  properties  are  partly  or  wholly 
deprived  of  their  strength  by  such  modes  of  treatment.  All  roots  of 
the  iris  species,  horseradish,  arum,  and  the  peonies  lose  nearly  all  their 
medicinal  strength  by  perfect  desiccation.  The  juice  of  the  most  pow- 
erful plants  is  often  transformed  into  an  inert,  pitchy  mass  by  the  ordi- 
nary temperature  employed  in  the  preparation  of  extracts.  By  being 
allowed  to  stand  still  for  a  long  time,  the  expressed  juice  of  deadly 
plants  is  often  rendered  inert ;  even  at  a  moderate  temperature  it 
rapidly  passes  into  vinous  fermentation  ;  being  thus  deprived  of  much 
strength,  it  grows  sour,  and  finally  putrid,  whereby  all  its  peculiar 
medicinal  properties  are  destroyed.  The  amylaceous  sediment,  when 
purified,  is  perfectly  harmless  like  ordinary  starch.  Even  ic  the  process 


220  NOTES   AND   EXPLANATORY   REMARKS 

of  sweating,  to  which  a  closely  packed  mass  of  herbs  would  be  exposed, 
a  great  portion  of  their  medicinal  properties  are  lost. 

[134]  \  267.  Buchholz  (Taschenbuch  fiir  Scheidekunst  u.  Apoth., 
1815,  Weimar,  I,  VI]  assures  his  readers,  uncontradicted  by  his  critic 
in  the  Leipziger  Liter  atur-Zeitung,  1816,  No.  82,  that  we  were  indebted 
for  this  excellent  method  of  preparing  medicines  to  the  campaign  in 
Russia,  whence  it  was  introduced  into  Germany.  He  conceals  the  fact 
that  this  discovery  and  its  description  had  been  made  known  by  me  two 
years  before  the  Russian  campaign,  although  he  quotes  my  own  words 
from  the  first  edition  of  the  Organon  of  the  Rational  Healing  Art,  I  230 
(the  Organon  appeared  in  1810),  and  the  annexed  note.  Thus  the  ori- 
gin of  an  invention  is  rather  to  be  sought  in  the  wilds  of  Asia  than  to 
attribute  the  honor  to  a  German  who  justly  claims  it.  Although  alco- 
hol was  formerly  sometimes  mixed  with  vegetable  juices  to  preserve 
them  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  extracts,  it  was  never  done  with  the 
intention  of  administering  them  in  this  form  to  patients. 

[135]  \  267.  Although  equal  parts  of  alcohol  and  of  fresh  juice  are 
the  usual  proportion  effecting  the  subsidence  of  fibrous  and  albuminous 
matter,  nevertheless  a  double  quantity  of  alcohol  is  required  for  plants 
containing  much  viscid  mucus,  or  an  excess  of  albumen.  Plants  con- 
taining but  little  juice,  like  oleander,  boxwood,  yew  tree,  ledum,  sa- 
bina,  etc.,  should  first  be  crushed  into  a  fine  pulp,  and  then  stirred  up 
with  a  double  quantity  of  alcohol,  so  that  the  juice  may  combine  with 
it,  and  being  thus  extracted  by  the  alcohol  it  may  be  strained.  These 
substances  may  also  be  dried,  reduced  to  powder,  ground  with  sugar  of 
m;lk  to  the  third  trituration,  and  then  farther  diluted  by  potentiation 
after  dissolving  a  grain  of  the  trituration  (cf.  \  271). 

[136]  \  268.  In  order  to  preserve  such  substances  in  the  form  of 
powder,  a  precaution,  hitherto  not  generally  known  to  apothecaries, 
was  requisite,  in  the  absence  of  which  these  animal  and  vegetable  sub- 
stances, though  perfectly  dry,  could  not  be  kept  in  well-closed  bottles. 
Crude,  unpowdered  vegetable  substances,  however  dry,  still  contain  a 
certain  degree  of  moisture  as  a  necessary  condition  for  the  cohesion  of 
their  structural  particles.  Although  this  moisture  does  not  prevent 
the  entire  unpowdered  drug  from  continuing  in  a  dry  state,  it  will 
nevertheless  prove  to  be  excessive  for  the  preservation  of  a  substance  in 
a  finely  powdered  state.  Vegetable  or  animal  substances,  which  are 
quite  dry  when  whole,  will,  when  finely  pulverized,  form  a  somewhat 
moist  powder,  which  cannot  be  kept  in  closed  vessels  without  being 
rapidly  spoiled  by  mould  unless  previously  freed  from  the  excess  of 
moisture.  This  is  best  done  by  spreading  the  powder  in  a  shallow  tin 
pan  with  a  high  rim,  floating  on  boiling  water  (water-bath),  and  stir 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      221 

ring  it  till  it  has  become  so  dry,  that  its  small  particles  no  longer  adhere 
together  in  lumps,  and  until  they  can  be  separated  and  blown  off  like 
fine  sand.  In  this  state  these  fine  powders  may  be  preserved  forever 
without  deterioration  in  well-stoppered  and  sealed  glasses,  where  they 
will  retain  their  original  and  perfect  medicinal  strength  free  from  mould 
and  mustiness.  The  best  plan  is  to  protect  the  glasses  from  daylight  in 
covered  jars  or  boxes.  Animal  and  vegetable  substances,  kept  in  glasses 
which  are  not  perfectly  air-tight,  and  kept  from  the  access  of  sun  and 
daylight,  will  in  time  lose  more  and  more  of  their  medicinal  virtues 
even  in  their  entire  state,  but  more  particularly  in  the  form  of  powder. 

[137]  \  270.  Desirous  of  employing  a  certain  rule  for  the  develop  • 
ment  of  powers  of  fluid  medicines,  I  have  been  led  by  manifold  expe- 
riences and  accurate  observations  to  prefer  two  instead  of  repeated 
strokes  of  succussion  for  each  vial,  since  the  latter  method  tended  to 
potentiate  the  medicines  too  highly.  There  are,  nevertheless,  homoe- 
opathists  who  carry  about  with  them  homoeopathic  medicines  in  fluid 
form,  and  who  still  insist  that  *h-;£e  medicines  were  not  found  to  have 
been  more  highly  potentiated,  thereby  disclosing  a  want  of  accurate 
observation.  I  dissolved  one  grain  of  soda  in  half  an  ounce  (1  Loth.) 
of  water  mixed  with  a  little  alcohol  contained  in  a  vial,  two-thirds  of 
which  it  filled  ;  after  shaking  this  solution  uninterruptedly  for  half  an 
hour,  it  was  equal  in  potentiation  and  efficacy  to  the  thirtieth  develop- 
ment of  strength. 

[138]  \  271.  This  subject  is  fully  explained  in  the  preface  to  the 
medicines  in  the  third  edition  of  the  second  part  of  the  Materia  Medico,. 

[139]  \  272.  Some  homoeopathic  physicians  have  tried  the  plan  of 
administering  two  medicines  at  a  time,  or  nearly  so,  in  cases  where  one 
of  the  remedies  seemed  to  be  homoeopathic  to  one  portion  of  the  symp- 
toms of  the  disease,  and  where  a  second  remedy  appeared  adapted  to 
the  other  portion ;  but  I  must  seriously  warn  my  readers  against  such 
an  attempt,  which  will  never  be  necessary  even  if  it  should  seem  proper. 

[140]  \  274.  Supposing  the  right  homeopathic  remedy  to  have  been 
administered  in  a  well-considered  case  of  disease,  it  would  be  prepos- 
terous to  order  the  patient  to  drink  some  other  medicinal  herb-tea,  to 
apply  herb-cushions,  medicated  fomentations,  injections,  salves  or  oint- 
ments ;  a  sensible  physician  will  leave  such  practice  to  irrational  allo- 
pathic routine. 

[141]  \  276.  The  praise  which  has  lately  been  bestowed  by  some 
homoeopathic  physicians  upon  the  larger  doses,  arises  partly  from  their 
Belection  of  lower  potencies,  such  as  I  was  in  the  habit  of  using  twenty 


222  NOTES   AND    EXPLANATORY    REMARKS 

years  ago  for  want  of  better  knowledge,  and  partly  from  the  circum- 
stance that  the  medicines  were  not  quite  homoeopathically  selected. 

[142]  2276.    See  note  to  §  246. 

[143]  \  280.  Let  these  ordinary  practitioners  ask  mathematicians 
to  demonstrate  the  truth,  that,  although  a  substance  be  divided  into 
ever  so  many  parts,  some  portion  of  this  substance,  however  minute, 
must  still  constitute  each  one  of  these  parts  ;  that  the  most  inconceiv- 
ably minute  fractional  particle  never  ceases  to  be  something  of  the 
original  substance,  an'd  hence,  that  it  can  never  become  nothing.  Phys- 
ical sciences  will  teach  them  that  there  are  great  forces  (potencies) 
which  are  entirely  imponderable,  like  heat,  light,  etc. ;  and  that,  con- 
sequently, these  must  be  far  lighter  than  the  medicinal  contents  of  the 
smallest  homoeopathic  doses  Let  them  determine,  if  they  can,  the 
weight  of  angry  words  causing  a  bilious  fever,  or  the  weight  of  afflict- 
ing news  that  can  kill  an  affectionate  mother  when  she  hears  of  the 
death  of  an  only  son ;  let  them  t^n^h  for  fifteen  minutes  a  magnet 
capable  of  supporting  a  hundred  pounds,  and  be  convinced  by  painful 
sensations  that  even  imponderable  influences  may  produce  the  most  vio- 
lent medicinal  effects  upon  the  human  body  ;  let  some  weakling  of  that 
class  allow  a  strong-willed  mesmerist  to  touch  the  pit  of  his  stomach 
lightly  with  the  point  of  his  thumb  for  a  few  minutes,  and  the  intoler- 
able sensations  produced  by  this  process  will  make  him  repent  of  hav- 
ing set  limits  to  the  activity  of  boundless  nature. 

If  an  allopathic  physician,  in  trying  the  homoeopathic  method,  can- 
not summon  sufficient  courage  to  use  highly  rarefied  doses,  he  should 
ask  himself  what  risk  he  would  incur  in  using  them  ?  If  only  ponder- 
ables were  real,  and  imponderables  unreal,  then  one  of  these  seemingly 
insignificant  doses  would,  at  worst,  be  without  any  effect  whatever, — a 
result  far  more  harmless  than  that  following  too  large  a  dose  of  allo- 
pathic medicine.  Why  will  such  a  physician  consider  his  want  of  ex- 
perience, combined  with  prejudices,  as  more  competent  than  experience 
established  by  facts  observed  throughout  many  years  ?  In  addition  to 
this,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  power  of  homoeopathic  medicine 
is  augmented  (potentiated)  by  friction  and  succussion  at  each  successive 
division  and  comminution.  This  development  of  powers,  unknown  be- 
fore my  time,  is  so  great,  that  in  latter  years  convincing  experience  has 
led  me  to  make  use  of  two  succussions  after  each  dilution,  where  form- 
erly I  employed  ten. 

[144]  \  284.  Supposing  one  drop  of  a  mixture  containing  -^,,-th  of 
a  grain  of  medicinal  substance  to  have  an  effect  =  A,  then  one  drop  of 
a  higher  dilution,  containing  ji^th  of  a  grain  of  medicinal  substance, 
would  have  an  effect  about  equal  to  \  ;  if  it  contains  roj(jathof  a  grain  of 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.     223 

medicinal  substance,  it  would  have  an  effect  equal  to  £;  if  it  con- 
tains Tffffffbfffffftt1  °f  a  grain  of  medicine,  its  effect  would  be  =  £  ;  and  in 
this  progression,  the  volume  of  the  dose  remaining  the  same,  the  quad- 
ratic (or  perhaps  more  than  quadratic)  diminution  of  medicinal  sub- 
stance will  always  reduce  the  effect  of  the  latter  only  by  about  one-half. 
I  have  very  often  seen  one  drop  of  the  decillionfold  dilution  of  Nux  vom. 
produce  almost  exactly  half  as  great  an  effect  as  one  drop  of  the  quintil- 
Jionfold  dilution,  administered  under  the  same  circumstances,  and  to  the 
same  person. 

[145]  §  285.  For  this  purpose  it  is  best  to  use  fine  sugar-pellets  of 
the  size  of  poppy  seeds  ;  one  of  these  pellets  moistened  with  medicine, 
and  introduced  into  the  vehicle,  constitutes  a  dose  containing  about 
j£  ,th  part  of  a  dose  ;  for  three  hundred  of  such  pellets  are  sufficiently 
moistened  by  one  drop  of  alcohol.  By  placing  one  of  these  pellets 
upon  the  tongue,  and  without  swallowing  some  liquid  afterwards,  the 
dose  is  considerably  lessened.  But  if  there  are  reasons  for  adminis- 
tering the  smallest  dose,  and  if,  at  the  same  time,  a  speedy  effect  is  to 
be  produced  upon  a  very  sensitive  patient,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to 
smell  of  the  medicine  once  (see  note  to  \  288). 

[146]  §  286.  The  healing  and  intoxicating  effects  of  the  simplest 
stimulants  only,  such  as  wine  and  alcohol,  are  diminished  by  dilution 
with  a  large  quantity  of  water. 

[147]  \  287.  By  the  word  intimately  I  mean  to  say,  that  if  a  drop  of 
medicinal  fluid  is  shaken  up  once  with  one  hundred  drops  of  alcohol — that 
is  to  say,  if  the  vial  containing  both,  has  been  subjected  to  one  vigorous 
downward  stroke  of  the  arm,  while  the  vial  is  held  in  the  hand,  an 
exact  mixture  must  have  taken  place ;  but  that  the  mixture  of  both  will 
be  made  far  more  intimate  by  two,  three,  ten  or  more  such  strokes  ;  i.  e., 
the  medicinal  power  will  have  become  more  highly  potentiated,  and  the 
spirit  of  this  medicine  will  have  been  unfolded  and  developed  in  a 
higher  degree,  and  made  far  more  penetrant  in  its  effect  upon  the  nerves. 
Now  if  these  high  dilutions  are  to  serve  the  desirable  purpose  of  di- 
minishing the  dose,  and  of  reducing  its  effect  upon  the  organism,  it 
would  be  well  not  to  shake  each  of  the  twenty  or  thirty  vials  more  than 
twice,  so  that  the  medicinal  force  may  be  but  moderately  developed, 
It  would  also  be  proper  not  to  extend  the  time  of  trituration  too  far  in 
making  dry  powder-dilutions ;  e.  (/.,  a  grain  of  some  crude  medicinal 
substance,  having  been  mixed  with  one  hundred  grains  of  sugar  of 
milk,  should  be  triturated  vigorously  only  for  an  hour  ;  a  grain  of  this 
trituration,  mixed  with  one  hundred  grains  of  sugar  of  milk  (rjj^jth 
dilution),  should  also  be  triturated  for  an  hour,  and  the  third  dilution 
(iffiToijiyoth),  prepared  by  mixing  a  grain  of  the  preceding  trituration 
with  one  hundred  grains  of  sugar  of  milk,  should  also  be  triturated  for 


224  NOTES    AND   EXPLANATORY   REMARKS 

one  hour,  whereby  the  medicine  is  brought  to  a  state  of  dilution,  pos 
sessing  a  moderate  development  of  strength.  The  process  of  making 
these  preparations  is  more  fully  described  in  the  prefaces  to  the  third 
edition  of  the  second  part  of  the  Materia  Medica,  1833. 

[148]  §  287.  The  higher  tne  process  of  dilution,  combined  with  yo 
tentiation  (by  means  of  two  succussions),  is  carried,  so  much  the  more 
rapid  and  penetrant  the  effect  of  the  preparation  will  appear  in  its  in- 
fluence upon  the  vital  force,  and  in  altering  the  sensorial  condition. 
This  process,  however,  does  not  lessen  the  efficacy  of  the  preparatior 
much,  even  if  it  is  carried  up  to  XX,  L,  C,  and  still  higher,  instead  of 
stopping,  as  usual,  at  X,  which  is  generally  sufficient.  These  highei 
degrees  seem  to  differ  from  the  lower  ones  only  in  having  an  effect  of 
shorter  duration. 

[149]  \  288.  Homoeopathic  remedies  will  act  with  the  greatest  cei- 
tainty  and  efficacy,  particularly  by  smelling  or  inhaling  them  in  the 
form  of  vapor  emanating  continually  from  a  dry  pellet  impregnated 
with  a  highly  rarefied  medicinal  solution,  and  containedin  a  small  vial. 
The  homoBopathic  physician  should  apply  the  mouth  of  the  vial  first  to 
one  nostril  of  the  patient,  and  request  him  to  inhale  the  air  from  the 
vial ;  and  if  the  dose  is  to  be  somewhat  stronger,  the  vial  should  also 
be  applied  to  the  other  nostril,  the  patient  inhaling  more  or  less  vigor- 
ousl}r,  in  proportion  to  the  intended  strength  of  the  dose,  whereupon 
the  vial  should  be  replaced,  well  corked,  in  his  pocket-case  to  prevent 
abuse.  Hence  the  physician  may  dispense  entirely  with  the  services  of  an 
apothecary,  if  he  chooses  to  do  so.  Globules  (of  which  ten,  twenty  or  a 
hundred  weigh  a  grain)  moistened  with  the  thirtieth  potentiated  dilu- 
tion, and  then  dried,  retain  their  full  strength  uncliminished  for  at  least 
eighteen  or  twenty  years  (as  far  as  my  experience  reaches),  even  if  the 
vial  had  been  opened  a  thousand  times,  provided,  however,  it  had  been 
well  protected  from  heat  and  sunlight.  In  case  the  patient's  nostrils 
were  obstructed  by  coryza  or  polypus,  he  should  inhale  through  the 
mouth  while  holding  the  aperture  of  the  vial  between  his  lips.  A  cer- 
tain result  may  be  obtained  in  the  case  of  infants  by  holding  the  vial 
close  to  their  nostrils  during  sleep.  The  inhaled  medicinal  vapor  comes 
into  immediate  contact  with  the  nerves  distributed  over  the  parietes 
of  the  cavities,  through  which  it  passes,  and  thus  stimulates  the  vital 
force  into  curative  action  in  the  mildest,  but  at  the  same  time,  in  the 
most  energetic  manner.  This  is  much  superior  to  all  other  modes  of 
administering  medicines  by  the  mouth.  Every  kind  of  internal  chronic 
disease  not  entirely  ruined  by  allopathy,  as  well  as  the  most  acute  dis- 
eases that  can  be  cured  at  all  by  homoeopathy  (what  indeed  cannot  be 
cured  by  it,  except  surgical  diseases  requiring  manual  skill  ?>,  are  most 
surely  and  effectually  cured  by  this  process  of  olfaction.  But  of  the 


APPENDED  TO  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  ORGANON.      225 

great  number  of  patients  who,  for  a  year  past,  have  sought  my  aid  and 
that  of  my  assistant,  there  is  scarcely  one  whose  chronic  or  acute  dis- 
ease we  had  not  treate'd  successfully  alone  by  means  of  olfaction.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  half  of  this  year  I  became  convinced  of  the  fact  (which 
I  would  not  have  believed  before),  that  by  this  process  of  olfaction  the 
power  of  the  medicine  is  exerted  upon  the  patient,  at  least  in  the  same 
degree  of  intensity,  and,  in  fact,  more  quietly,  though  quite  as  long  as 
that  of  a  large  dose  of  medicine  administered  by  the  mouth,  and  that, 
consequently,  the  process  of  olfaction  is  not  to  be  repeated  at  shorter 
periods  than  if  the  medicine  were  given  in  material  doses  by  the  mouth. 

[150]  \  289.  Even  patients  deprived  of  their  sense  of  smell  are  in- 
fluenced and  cured  in  an  equally  perfect  manner  by  inhaling  medicinal 
vapor  through  the  nose. 

[151]  \  292.  Friction  (inunction)  seems  to  enhance  the  effect  of 
medicines  only  inasmuch  as  friction  per  se  renders  the  skin  and  the 
living  fibre  more  susceptible,  and  capable  of  feeling  the  strength  of  the 
medicine,  and  of  imparting  this  sensation  of  change  in  the  sensorial 
condition  to  the  entire  organism.  If  the  inner  surface  of  the  thigh  has 
been  well  irritated  by  friction,  mercurial  ointment  merely  laid  on  will 
act  quite  as  powerfully  as  if  this  ointment  had  been  vigorously  rubbed 
into  the  spot,  according  to  the  usual  mode  of  "inunction,"  as  it  is 
called.  It  still  remains  doubtful  whether  the  substance  of  the  metal 
itself  is  made  to  penetrate  to  the  interior  of  the  body  by  means  of  this 
so-called  process  of  inunction,  or  whether  it  is  taken  up  by  the  absorb- 
ent vessels,  or  whether  neither  of  the  two  effects  occur.  But  homoeop- 
athy scarcely  ever  demands  the  inunction  of  any  medicine,  and  least 
of  all,  the  use  of  mercurial  ointment  for  curative  purposes.^ 


15 


APPENDIX. 


I  CONSIDER  it  necessary  in  this  place  to  allude  to  animal  magnetism 
or  mesmerism  (called  so  after  Mesmer,  its  discoverer),  differing  in  its 
nature  from  all  other  curative  agents.  This  remedial  power,  the  ex- 
istence of  which  is  often  denied,  is  imparted  to  the  patient  by  the  touch 
of  a  well-disposed  person,  exercising  the  full  strength  of  his  will.  It 
acts  in  part  homceopathically,  by  exciting  symptoms  similar  to  those 
of  the  disease  to  be  cured,  and  is  applied  for  this  purpose  by  means  of 
a  single  pass  or  stroke  of  the  hands  held  flatwise  over  the  body,  and 
carried,  during  moderate  exertion  of  the  will,  from  the  crown  to  the 
tips  of  the  toes  ;[1]  this  process  is  efficacious  in  uterine  haemorrhages, 
even  when  death  is  imminent.  The  application  of  mesmerism  also 
serves  to  distribute  the  vital  force  equally  through  the  organism,  when 
it  is  abnormally  active  in  some  parts,  and  deficient  in  others ;  e.  (/.,  in 
cases  of  rush  of  blood  to  the  head,  and  sleepless,  anxious  restlessness 
of  debilitated  persons,  etc.,  where  it  should  also  be  applied  by  means 
of  a  single,  but  more  powerful  pass  of  the  hands.  It  is  also  capa- 
ble of  imparting  vital  power,  and  of  supplying  deficiency  of  the 
latter  directly  to  a  single  debilitated  part,  or  to  the  entire  organism. 
This  object  is  not  to  be  reached  with  the  same  degree  of  safety  and 
certainty  by  any  power,  except  that  of  mesmerism,  which  obviates  the 
disturbances  arising  from  other  kinds  of  medical  treatment.  An  effect 
of  this  kind  is  obtained  in  single  parts  of  the  body,  by  applying  the 
hands  or  tips  of  the  fingers,  and  by  directing  a  strong  effort  of  good 
will  upon  the  part  suffering  from  inveterate  debility,  where  an  internal 
chronic  evil  has  established  its  local  symptoms.  Cases  of  this  kind 
are,  e,  gr.,  chronic  ulcers,  amaurosis,  paralysis  of  single  limbs,  etc.  [2] 
Many  sudden  and  apparent  cures,  performed  in  all  ages  by  mesmerists 
endowed  with  great  natural  power,  belong  to  this  category.  But  the 
most  remarkable  instances  of  the  communication  of  human  power 
were  witnessed  in  the  resuscitation  of  persons  who,  after  having  lain 
in  a  state  of  apparent  death  for  a  long  time,  were  acted  upon  by  the 
powerful  will  of  a  well-disposed  man  in  the  prime  of  life  and  vigor.  [3] 
History  records  several  undoubted  instances  of  this  kind. 

These  methods  of  applying  mesmeric  pbwer,  depend  upon  an  influx 
of  vital  force  from  one  body  into  another ;  it  is,  therefore,  called  posi- 

(  227  ) 


228  APPENDIX. 

tive  mesmerism.  [4]  But  there  is  another  manner  )f  applying  it,  which 
produces  a  contrary  effect  to  the  former,  and  is,  therefore,  known  as 
negative  mesmerism.  Of  this  kind,  are  the  mesmeric  strokes  employed 
in  awakening  persons  from  a  state  of  somnambulism,  as  well  as  all  those 
manipulations  known  as  "calming"  and  "ventilating."  The  safest 
and  simplest  means  of  discharging  the  excess  of  vital  power  accumu- 
lated in  some  portion  of  a  vigorous  organism,  consist  in  the  application 
of  negative  mesmerism  by  means  of  the  right  hand  with  its  extended 
palm,  held  parallel  to  and  about  an  inch  from  the  body,  and  carried  by 
a  rapid  motion  from  the  crown  of  the  head  to  the  tips  of  the  toes. [5] 
The  more  rapidly  this  motion  is  made,  so  much  the  more  effective  will 
be  the  discharge  of  vital  force.  In  a  case  of  apparent  death,  for  in- 
stance, occurring  in  a  female  previously  healthy,  [6]  whose  menses  were 
suddenly  arrested  at  their  commencement,  by  some  violent  emotional 
disturbance,  the  excess  of  vital  force,  probably  accumulated  in  the  prse- 
cordial  region,  is  discharged  and  restored  to  its  equilibrium  throughout 
the  organism,  by  means  of  a  rapid  negative  stroke  of  the  hand,  which 
will  be  followed  by  immediate  resuscitation.  [7]  A  gentle  and  less 
rapid  negative  movement  of  the  hand  will  also  allay  the  great  agita- 
tion, and  anxious  sleeplessness  occasioned  in  very  excitable  persons,  by 
a  positive  pass  too  powerfully  applied. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

TO  THE  APPENDIX. 


[1]  IT  is  equal  to  thesmallest  homoeopathic  dose,  which,  however,  achieves 
wonders  if  applied  under  proper  circumstances.  Incompetent  homoeopathic 
physicians  frequently  overwhelm  their  patients,  suffering  from  ohstinate 
complaints,  with  a  rapid  succession  of  doses  of  various  medicines ;  though 
homoeopathically  selected  and  administered  in  high  potentiated  dilutions, 
these  produce  such  a  degree  of  overexcitement,  that  life  is  placed  in  jeopardy, 
and  that  the  least  subsequent  dose  of  medicine  would  inevitably  prove  fatal. 
In  such  cases  the  harmonious  and  equal  distribution  of  the  vital  power,  re- 
pose, sleep,  and  recovery,  can  only  be  brought  about  by  a  gentle  mesmeric 
pass,  repeatedly  executed  by  the  hand  of  a  well-disposed  person,  to  the  af- 
fected part. 

[2]  Although  this  process  of  supplying  a  deficiency  of  vital  power,  re- 
peated from  time  to  time,  can  never  accomplish  a  permanent  cure,  in  cases 
where,  as  above  stated,  a  general  internal  evil  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the 
chronic  local  disease  ;  nevertheless,  this  positive  mode  of  strengthening  and 
sustaining  the  organism  with  vital  power  (which  is  no  more  a  palliative  than 
food  or  drink,  in  satisfying  hunger  and  thirst),  is  a  great  adjuvant  to  ho- 
moeopathic medicines  in  the  actual  treatment  of  the  entire  disease. 

[3]  Particularly  if  this  power  had  been  exercised  by  men,  such  as  are  rarely 
met  with,  and  who,  while  endowed  with  a  very  benevolent  disposition,  pos- 
sess but  a  very  slight  degree  of  sexual  desire,  which  they  can  suppress  easily, 
and  in  whom,  therefore,  the  subtle  vital  forces  ordinarily  employed  in  the 
production  of  seminal  fluid,  are  always  present  in  abundance,  and  in  readi- 
ness to  be  imparted  to  other  persons  through  the  medium  of  touch,  applied 
under  the  exercise  of  a  strong  will.  A  number  of  powerful  mesmerizers 
with  whom  I  was  acquainted  all  possessed  these  peculiarities. 

[4]  These  remarks  concerning  the  decided  and  undoubted  curative  power 
of  positive  mesmerism,  are  by  no  means  intended  to  apply  to  that  exaggera- 
tion of  the  same,  often  practiced  upon  patients  of  weak  nerves,  who,  being 
subjected  to  such  manipulations  for  hours  every  day,  at  length  experience 
»Ti  enormous  change  of  their  entire  being,  called  somnambulism  ;  a  state  in 

(  229  ) 


230  EXPLANATORY  NOTES  TO  THE  APPENDIX. 

which  a  human  being  seems  removed  from  the  sensual  world  into  the  spirit- 
world — an  extremely  unnatural  and  dangerous  condition,  by  which  men 
have  often  dared  to  attempt  the  cure  of  chronic  diseases. 

[5]  It  is  a  well-known  rule,  that  a  person  who  is  to  be  subjected  to  either 
positive  or  negative  mesmerism,  must  not  be  clothed,  even  in  part,  with  silk. 

[6]  For  this  reason,  a  negative  pass,  particularly  if  energetically  executed, 
is  very  injurious  to  a  person  of  low  vitality,  suffering  from  chronic  debility. 

[7]  A  robust  country  lad,  ten  years  of  age,  during  some  slight  indisposi- 
tion, was  mesmerized  by  a  woman  who  passed  the  ends  of  her  thumbs  sev- 
eral times  rapidly  and  energetically  from  the  epigastrium  along  the  ribs, 
whereupon  the  boy  became  deathly  pale,  losing  both  consciousness  and 
power  of  motion,  so  that  he  could  not  be  aroused  in  spite  of  the  most  strenu- 
ous efforts,  and  was  supposed  to  be  dead.  I  caused  his  elder  brother  to  make 
a  rapid  negative  pass  from  the  crown  of  the  head  to  the  feet,  which  at  once 
restored  the  patient  to  consciousness  and  health. 


ALPHABETICAL    INDEX 


INTRODUCTION  AND  TEXT. 


Accessor}'  medicinal  symptoms  to  be  regarded  as  belong- 
ing to  disease, 

Acute  diseases  divisible  into  several  classes,     . 

Adaptation,  homoeopathic,  imperfect,      .... 

Advantages  of  man,  greater  than  those  of  nature,. 

Affinity  of  different  affections  for  different  regions  of  the 
system, .  

Affinity  of  homoeopathic  remedy  for  diseased  parts, 

After-effects  of  drugs,      ....... 

After-effect,  or  counter-effect, 

After-effects  scarcely  seen  after  minute  doses, 

Aggravation  after  contrary  use  of  drugs, 

Aggravation,  homoeopathic,     ...... 

Aggravation,  medicinal,  of  original  disease,    . 

Aggravations  repeated  in  chronic  diseases, 

Aggravation,  signs  of,      ....... 

Aggravations  to  be  counteracted  by  antidotes, 

Aim,  the  physician's  highest, 

Allopathy,  injurious  effects  of, 

Allopathic  treatment,  previous  inquiry  concerning, 

Allopathic  treatment  leaves  chronic  diseases  uncured,    . 

Allopathic  (dissimilar)  treatment  of  chronic  diseases  rep- 
rehensible,   

Allopathic  or  hcteropathic  method,         .... 

Allopathic  measures  illustrated,       ...'.. 

Al'opathic  treatment,  results  of,  counted  among  chronic 
diseases, 

Allopathy  ;  derivation  of  the  word  from  dXXoia,.     . 

Allopathy  incapable  of  imitating  natural  palliation, 

Allopathy,  "  old  medicine," 

Alteratives  (alterantia) ,  mercurials  and  their  injurious- 
ness,  .....  .... 

Alterative  powers  of  appropriate  remedies, 

Altering  the  state  of  health  (or  sensorial  condition)  by 
power  of  medicines, .*  . 

Alternating  effects  of  some  drugs,   .         . 

Alternating  diseases,        ....... 

Antipathic  method, .         ...  ... 

Antipathic  treatment,  injurious,  .... 

Antipathic  treatment,  results  of, 


Section. 


Page. 


180-2 

146 

73 

105 

180 

146 

51 

90 

42 

84 

148 

136 

69 

95-96 

63 

99 

66 

100   - 

23 

72 

276 

181 

157-160 

139-140 

161 

140 

254 

174 

249 

172 

2 

65 

59 

95 

207 

157 

37 

7-7 

39 

80 

55 

92 

67 

93 

74 

107 

42 

33 

18 

16 

19-20 
115-251 
232 

23 


59 


37 
69-70 

21-71 
123-173 
247 

72 
102 

97 


(  231  ) 


232  INDEX. 

Section.       Page. 

Antipathic  (enantiopathic),  or  palliative  method,  56              92 
Antipsoric  remedies,  succession  of,  .         .         .         .         .  171             144 
Antitype,  construed  out  of  symptoms  of  suitable  remedy,  154             138 
Antitype  to  natural  disease,  to  be  construed  out  of  symp- 
tom-catalogues,  .152  137 

Artificial  cachexia,  ........  38 

Artificial  morbific  potencies,  controllability  of,  61               90 

A  priori  reasoning, 19 

Artificial  treatment  of  old  school  more  debilitating  than 

efforts  of  nature, 34 

Art  of  healing,  the  true,  is  an  intellectual  office,     .         .  35 

Association. of  diseases,  difficulty  of  curing,     .         .         .40  81 

Attention,  want  of,  of  physician, 176             145 

Attenuation,  thirtieth,  to  be  used  in  previously  inert  sub- 
stances,            128             128 

Automatic  efforts  of  nature  over-estimated  and  misinter- 
preted,    31 

Auxiliaries  of  nature, 50              89 

Bleeding,  evil  consequences  of, 32 

Bloodletting  objectionable, 21 

Bloodletting, .         .  59              96 

Bitters,  action  of,  in  chronic  diseases,      ....  36 

Body,  entire,  affected  by  medicine,           ....  191             149 

Calling  of  physician, 1-17         65-70 

Cantharides,  effects  of,  antipathic, 59              95 

Causal  cures, 22 

Causal  indication, 19 

Cause  of  chronic  diseases  unknown  to  old  school,    .         .  39 
Cause  of  disease,  a  dynamic  disturbance  of  life,       .         .  24 
Causes  of  disease  are  immaterial;  illustrations,        .         .  23 
Causes  of  disease,  the  search  for,  imitation  of  nature  fan- 
ciful   18 

Causes  of  rare  cures  to  be  investigated,   ....  44 
Caution  and  patience  in  inquiry  concerning  chronic  dis- 
eases,   98             116 

Characteristics  of  chronic  diseases,  disregarded  by  pa- 
tients,     -95             118 

Characteristic  symptoms  to  be  noted  in  writing,     .         .  102             118 

Characteristic  symptoms, 104-209     119-151 

Chronic  diseases  from  allopathic  treatment,    .         .         .  7.1-6         107 
Chronic  diseases  from  miasms,  to  be  distinguished  from 

protracted  diseases  from  other  causes,  .         .         .         .  204             155 

Chronic  diseases,  genuine,  never  cured  spontaneously,   .78  109 

Chronic  diseases,  improperly  so-called,    ....  77             108 
Chronic  diseases,  investigation  of,  more  laborious  than 

of  the  acute, 82            111 

Chronic  diseases,  intractable,  prevent  other  affections,    .  36              77 

Chronic  miasm,  infection  with, 73             105 

Chronic  disease,  primary  cause  of, 5              66 

Chronic  diseases  proper,  originate  from  chronic  miasm, .  78             109 

Choice  between  two  remedies  of  equal  value,  .         .         .  169             143 

Cinchona  bark,  indiscriminate  use  of,      ....  37 

Cinchona  in  intermittents, 244            170 

Circuitous  process  of  derivation  debilitating,  .         .         .  35 

Circumstances  of  the  patient  to  be  inquired  into,    .         .94  118 

Coincidence  of  drug-effect  and  disease,  incomplete,         .  16-             141 
Coincidence  of  previous  observations  with  those  of  Hah- 

nemann, 110             121 


INDEX. 


233 


Section        Page. 
Collective  diseases,  perfect  image  of,  not  recognized  at 

first  sight, 101             117 

Complicated  diseases, 40              87 

Comparison,  use  of,  in  selecting  remedies,        .         .         .  153            137 

Complication  of  psora,  syphilis,  and  sycosis,  .         .         .  206            156 
Complication  of  epidemic  diseases ;  small-pox  and  measles, 

etc.,  avoid  or  suspend  each  other,         ....  40              82 
Complication,  frequency  of,  in  diseases,  in  consequence 

of  inappropriate  treatment, 41              83 

Complication  of  dissimilar  diseases,         ....  41              83 
Complication,  combination,  possible  only  in  dissimilar 

diseases, 42              84 

Compound  recipes;  their  ingredients  imperfectly  known,  40 

Compound  recipes,  objections  to, 41 

Conditions  (positions,  attitudes),  under  which  symptoms 

appear, 133            130 

Conditions,  three,  under  which  the  cure  may  be  acceler- 
ated and  perfected, 246             171 

Conjecture  does  not  find  appropriate  remedies,        .         .  20 

Conjecture  in  the  invention  of  modes  of  treatment,        .  17-19 

Conspicuous,  peculiar,  characteristic  symptoms,      .         .  209            157 

Consumption  precludes  fevers,  etc.,          ....  36              77 

Consumption  suspended  by  typhus  fever,  insanity,  etc.,  38              78 

Contagion,  ancient,  smouldering,    .....  81          .  110 

Contagious  matter,  imponderable  quantities  of,       .         .  24 

Contraria  contrariis,  ancient  rule, 57              93 

Contrary  symptoms, 23              72 

Counter-effects  (after-effects)  of  drugs,    ....  64              99 
Counter-irritation  and  derivation  often  painful  and  de- 
bilitating,        29 

Convenience  consulted  by  the  old  school   rather   than 

reason,  .                          27 

Cow-pox  and  measles  suspend  each  other,       ...  38             79 
Crude  medicinal  substances  to  be  potentiated  in  order  to 

disclose  their  powers,    .         .         .                  .        .         .  128            128 

Curable,  what  is,  in  diseases, 3              65 

Curative,  what  is,  in  medicines, 3              65 

Curative  drugs  not  to  be  discovered  ab  usu  in  morbis,     .  40 

Curative  effect  (after-effect), 64              99 

Cured  symptoms,  omission  of  from  diary,         .         .         .  104            119 

Cures,  actual,  by  medicine,  always  homoeopathic,   .         .  43 
Cure  not  essentially  retarded  by  partially  incongruous 

medicines,     .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .164  141 

Cures  by  simple  drugs,  as  proof  of  homoeopathic  law,     .  43 

Cure  of  diseases,  discovery  of  material  necessary  for,      .  105            119 

Cure,  three  essential  points  of, 71             105 

Cutaneous  diseases  cured  by  cow-pox,      ....  46              86 

Danger  to  life  from  auxiliary  diseases  of  nature,  50              89 

Deafness  cured  by  small-pox, 46 

Delusion  of  temporary  improvement 56 

Derangement,  primary,  of  dynamis,         .  ~               .         .11  68 
Derivative  process  of  nature,  symptoms  of,  to  be  treated 

homoeopathically, 

Derivative  method  takes  the  place  of  evacuants,  exam- 
ples of  the  same, 26 

Derivatives,  indirect,  circuitous, 26-27 

Development  of  power  of  drugs,  process  unknown  pre- 
viously,         .                  269 

Diarrhoea,  critical             34 


23  i  INDEX. 

Section  Page. 

Diet,  simplicity  of,  in  proving, 125  127 

Diet  of  patient?  to  be  palliative  and  soothing,  but  non- 
medicinal,     263  177 

Diet  in  acute  diseases, 262  176 

Diet  and  regimen  in  chronic  diseases,      ....  261  176 
Differences  in  morbific  and  curative  qualities  of  plants, 

minerals,  etc., 119  125 

Differences,  special  and  generic,  of  plants  and  minerals,  119    '  125 

Digitalis  as  a  palliative  in  excited  pulse,          ...  39 

Discord  of  feeling,  disease,  changed  back  to  health,         .       70  103 

Diseased  parts  principally  acted  upon  by  medicines^        .  282  183 

Diseases,  acute  and  chronic, 72  105 

Diseases,  acute  and  chronic,  to  be  distinguished,     .        .  82  111 

Disease  cured  with  symptoms,          .....         8  67 

Disease,  dynamic  disturbance  of  vital  force,  ...       70  104 

Diseases,  general  classification  of, 72  105 

Disease,  how  to  gain  knowledge  of,         ....       72  105 
Diseases,  immaterial  modifications  of  thesensorial  condi- 
tion (health), .23 

Diseases  imperfectly  marked  by  symptoms,     .         .         .  176-7  145 

Diseases  of  importance  have  numerous  symptoms,           .  151  137 

Disease  separated  from  body,  a  nonentity,       .        .        .13  68 

^Diseases  vanish  notwithstanding  derivatives,  ...  29 

Dissimilar  diseases, ........       36  77 

Dissimilar  diseases  suspend  but  do  not  cure  each  other, .  38  80 

Dissimilar  effects  of  medicines  fail  to  cure,      ...       70  104 

Dissimilar  morbific  potencies, 52  91 

Dissimilar  new  disease  of  greater  intensity,     ...  38  78 

Dismissed  as  cured  after  mere  suppression  of  type,          .  38 

Dormant  diseases, .40  82 

Dose,  diminution  of  volume, 285  184 

Dose,  effect  of,  not  lessened  in  proportion  to  diminution 

of  medicine,          .         .         .                  ...         .         .284  184 

Dose,  effect  of,  increased  by  volume  of  fluid,  .         .         .  286  188 

Doses,  excessive,  disturb  result  of  experiment,        .        .  137  132 

Dose,  homoeopathic, 'too  strong,  effects  of,  injurious,       .  275-6  180 
Dose,  minuteness  of,  shows  drug-effect  to  be  overcome  by 

vital  force, 148  136 

Dose,  minuteness  of,  requires  avoidance  of  other  influ- 
ences,      259  176 

Dose,  minuteness  of,                 160  140 

Dose  never  too  small,  provided  it  can  cause  slight  inten- 
sification of  natural  disease, 279  182 

Doses,  excessive,  danger  of, 137  132 

Dose,  reduction  of,  proportionate,   .....  277  181 

Doses,  relative,  of  heroic  and  milder  substances,     .         .  121  126 

Doses,  small,  and  eflects  of  medicines  unknown  to  old  school,  20 

Dose  should  be  just  sufiicient  to  overcome  the  disease,    .  283  184 

Doses,  small,  primary  effect  of,  distinct,          .         .         .  137  131 

Doses,  small,  injurious  effect  insignificant,      .         .         .  283  184 

Dose,  strong,  advantages  of, 130  128 

Doses,  strong,  effects  of,  . 60  97 

Drug-affection,  its  increased  energy,  ....  29  75 
Drug-disease,  remaining  after  small  doses,  is  transient,  .  68  101 
Drug-disease  substituted  for  natural  disease,  ...  34  76 
Drug-effects  pure,  how  to  obtain  them,  ....  105-114  119 
Drug-effect,  peculiar,  of  each  drug,  ....  118  125 
Drugs  must  be  tested  on  healthy  persons  only,  .  .  108  '  120 
Drugs,  curative  power  of,  depends  on  their  power  of  alter- 
ing health, 108  121 


INDEX. 


235 


Section. 
Drugs,  pure  effects  of,  net  discovered  by  experiments  on 

the  sick,         .         .                  .         .         .         ,         .         .  197 

Drug-symptoms  arising  during  disease,  uncertain,  .         .  142 

Duty  of  physician,  third  part  of  ,       .....  146 

Dynamis,  spiritlike  vital  force  (autocracy),     ...  9 
Dynamic  (spiritlike)  influences  condition  disease,  . 

Dysentery  cured  by  variola, 46 

Dynamic  neutralization  of  symptoms,     ....  69 

Effect,  primary,  fluctuation  of, 115 

Effect,  interruption  of,  by  reselection,     ....     167-8 
Effect  of  drugs,  counter  and  after-effect  rarely  perceived 

after  moderate  doses, 112 

Effects,  primary  and  after,  heat,  cold,  coffee,  wine,  opium, 
Effete  products  of  disease  are  not  the  disease  itself, 
Efforts  of  nature -imperfect,  and  in  themselves  a  disease, 

Electricity  and  galvanism, 59 

Elements  of  diseases  (symptoms), 143 

Elements  of  disease  (symptoms), 135 

Emetics,   ........... 

Enantiopathic  method, 23 

Epidemic  diseases,  infectious,  their  causes,      ...       73 
Epidemic   and  sporadic  diseases,  totality  of  symptoms 

of, 100 

Epidemics,  importance  of  new  ;  inquiry  into  each,         .     100 
Epidemic  intermittents,  .......     241 

Epilepsy  superseded  by  tinea  capitis,        ....       38 

Errhines  in  nasal  catarrh, 59 

Essential  nature  of  disease,  dynamic,       .... 

Evacuation  of  fictitious  humor, 

Evacuation  of  fictitious  matter,  irrational, 
Evacuations  in  imitation  of  nature  only  palliate,  and 

often  aggravate,    ........ 

Exaggerations  of  patients,        ...... 

Examination  of  cases,  how  to  proceed,    . 
Examination,  repetition  of,  and  selection  of  remedy, 
Examples  of  homoeopathic  cases  are  furnished  by  diseases 

arising  from  a  fixed  miasm,          .         .         .         . 

Excitants  and  aphrodisiacs  produce  impotence, 
Experience  as  a  guide  in  medicine,  .... 

Experience  proves  drugs  to  cure  similar  diseases,  . 
Experimenter  (prover),  precautions  of,  . 
Explanation  of  cure  of  one  natural  disease  by  another,  . 
External  diseases  dependent  on  internal  cause, 
Extinguishment  of  diseases,    ...... 

Exciting  cause  (causa  occasionalis) , ..... 

Favorite  remedies,  objections  to, 

Feeling,  state  of,  altered  by  medicines,    .... 
Fever  of  specific  kind  produced  by  most  drugs, 
Fluctuation  of  primary  effect,  symptoms,  relative  fre- 
quency of, 

Food,  avoidable,  in  experiments, 

Foxglove  used  to  retard  pulse  antipathically, . 
Foreign  artificial  disease,  its  application  wrong, 


Gentleness  in  treatment  of  insanity, 
Gentle  cures,  how  to  perform  them, 
Genuine  natural  cures, 
Glandular  swellings,  imitation  of, 


96 

84-99 
168 

46 

70 

22-25 
126 

45 
189 

70 
7 

257 
70 
239 

115 
125 

59 

39 

226-9 
53 
49 


Page. 

120 
134 
135 

67 

20 

86 
102 

124 
142 

123 

99 

24 

33 

96 
134 
130 

32 

72 
106 

117 
117 
169 

78 

96 

23 

23 

25 

30 
116 

112-118 
143 

85 

37 
103 

73 
127 

85 
149 
104 

67 

175 
103 
168 

124 

127 

97 
81 

163-4 
91 
88 
32 


236  INDEX. 

Section.          Page. 

Habits  of  patients, 208            157 

Healing    property    of    drugs    undiscernible    in    itself, 

a  priori, 21               71 

Health  (sensorial  condition), 6              66 

Health  restored  by  medicines  producing  symptoms  simi- 
lar to  those  of  disease, 71             105 

Health,  state  of,  altered  by  drugs,  .....  64              99 
Health  (state  of  sensorial  condition),  dynamic  discord- 
ancy (disturbance)  of, 25 

Heterogeneous  morbid  condition, 62              90 

Hippocrates, 17 

Hippocrates  recognized  the  homoeopathic  principle,        .  45 
Homoeopathic  cures,  examples  of,  furnished  by  diseases 

arising  from  fixed  miasin,     ......  46              85 

Homoeopathic  cure,  process  of,  indicated,         .         .         .  148            136 
Homoeopathic  cures  of  acute  disease  more  rapid  than  of 

chronic, 149             136 

Homoeopathic  law  of  nature, 26               73 

Homoeopathic  law,  illustration  of, 282             183 

Homoeopathic  law,  reliability  of,     .         .         .         .         .  34-35         76-77 
Homoeopathic  medicine  counterbalances  slight  excess  of 

diet, 263             177 

Homoeopathic,  the  only  method  of  applying  drugs,        .  24              73 

Homoeopathic  method,  most  salutary,      .         .'                .70  104 

Homoeopathic  and  opposite  effects  contrasted,          .         .  69             102 

Homoeopathic  principle  accidentally  employed,  61               98 
Homoeopathic  principle  based  on  conclusions  derived 

from  experience,  ........  53               92 

Homoeopathic  principle  recognized  by  physicians  of  later 

times  (since  Hippocrates),     ......  45 

Homoeopathic  remedies  cure  without  discomfort,    .         .  154-5         138 

Homoeopathic  remedy,  how  to  find  it,      ....  104            119 

Homoeopathic  remedy,  strikingly  similar  to  symptoms 

of  disease, 104            119 

Homoeopathic  selection,  similitude,         ....  275-8        180 
Homoeopathism,  improper,  results  in  asthma,  apoplexy, 

etc., 31 

Homoeopathy,  advantages  of, 68             101 

Homoeopathy,  the  counterpart  of  antipathic  medicine,   .  61               97 

Homoeopathy  cures  certainly,  rapidly,  and  permanently,  53              92 

Homoeopathy,  definition  of,      ......  35 

Homoeopathy,  brief  summary  of, 70            103 

Homoeopathy  found  salutary  by  non-professional  persons,  44 
Homoeopathy,  knowledge  of,  in  past  ages,       ...  44 
Homoeopathy,  though  dimly  foreshadowed,  was  not  per- 
fected until  the  present  day, 46 

Homoeopathy,  the  most  direct  course,      .         .                ' .  54              92 

Homoeopathy,  preference  of,  illustrated, ....  52              90 

Homoeopathy  not  previously  taught,  though  recognized,  43 

Homoeopathy,  unintentional  and  accidental,   .         .         .  43-44 

Hooping-cough  and  measles  cure  each  other,  ...  46              87 

Humors  drawn  out  from  skin  by  old  school,   ...  31 

Hypothetical  indications, 40 

Idiosyncrasies,  so-called,  due  to  constitution  as  well  as 

to  drug, 117             124 

Illustration  of  effects  of  dynamic  causes  of  disease, .         .  'J4 

Imaginary  morbific  matter,  no  object  of  treatment,         .  70            103 

Image,  the,  of  chronic  disease,  forms  basis  of  treatment,  104            119 


INDEX.  23? 

Section.  Page. 

Immaterial  nature  of  disease,  .         ....  22 

Imitation  of  nature,  in  derivative  treatment, .         .         .  26 

Impediments  to  improvement  to  be  sought  for,       .        '.     260  176 
Impressions,  medicinal,  imparted  to  parts  deprived  of 

sensibility, 291  186 

Improvement,  impediments  of, 260  176 

Improvement  not  prevented  by  homoeopathic  aggrava- 
tions,          161  141 

Improvement,  signs  of, .     252-6  173-5 

Individualization  indispensable  after,  as  well  as  before 

discovery  of  psora,        .......       82  111 

Indefinite  and  general  symptoms,  of  less  importance,     .     153  138 

Individualization,  unbiassed  judgment  in,       ...       83  111 

Ineffioaciousness  of  remedies,  owing  to  faulty  selection,.     258  175 

Influences,  noxious,  variety  of, 81  110 

Ingredients  of  compound  recipes  counteract  each  other, .  41 

Inhalation  of  medicines, 290  186 

Insignificant  symptoms  require  no  medicine,  .         .         .     150  137 
Intensity  of  drug-disease  should  be  superior  to  natural 

disease, 158-9  140 

Intermittent  diseases, 231  165 

Intermittent  diseases,  typical, .         .....     233  166 

Intermittents,  epidemic,  uniform  character  of,        .         .     241  169 
Intermittent  fever  cured  by  cow-pox,      ....       46  87 

Intermittents,  exciting  cause  of,  to  be  avoided  by  removal 

from  marshy  district, 238  168 

Intermittents  based  upon  psora 244  170 

Intermittents,  malignant,  treatment  of,  .         .         .         .     243  169 

Intermittents  psoric,  apparent  recovery  from,         .         .     244  170 

Intermittents,  recovery  from,  prevented  by  psora, .         .     240  168 
Intermittents,  sporadic  or  epidemic,        ....     235-244     166-170 

Intermittents,  stages  of, 235  166 

Insanity,  relapses  of,  if  uncured, 223  162 

Instinct  of  self-preservation,  in  acute  diseases,        .         .     262  176 

Intelligence,  degree  of,  requisite  in  experiments,    .         .     126  127 

Internal  disease  increased  by  suppressing  local  symptom,     202  154 

Interruption  of  curative  effect  to  be  avoided,  .         .         .     246  171 

Intractability  of  simple  cases, 41  83 

Introduction;  a  Keview  of  Physic, .  .   '     .  ]7 

Investigation  of  disease,  directions  for,       .        .         .        .84  112 

Itch  superseded  by  scurvy, 38  78 

Knowledge  of  individual  remedies,  not  possessed  by  an- 
cients,   .  22 

Law  of  cure,  explanation  of, 28-29        74 

Laxatives,  aggravation  from,  in  chronic  disease,    .         .  32-33 

Laxatives,  effects  of, .59  95 

Leading  questions  to  be  avoided, 87  113 

Leeches  applied  by  old  school, 32 

Local  affections  defined,  .......     186  147 

Local  affections  not  independent  of  rest  of  body,    .         .     185-203     147-154 
Local  affections  not  requiring  homoeopathic  treatment, 

and  those  that  do, 146  148 

Local  applications  hurtful, 194-6-7     150 

Local  diseases, .         ...'.....     174  144 
Local  diseases,  only  one  of  the  symptoms  of  the  case 

cured  simultaneously  with  the  rest,       ....     192-3  150 

Local  diseases  left  uncured,  a  product  of  psora,       .        .     194  159 


238 


INDEX. 


Section.  Page. 

Local  diseases  yield  to  internal  remedies,         .         .         .  194  150 

Local  treatment  of  some  external  diseases,  injurious,      .  187  148 

Local  suppression  of  main  symptoms  obscures  the  case,  .  198-9  152 
Local  symptom,  absence  of,  prevents  discovery  of  the 

curative  medicine, 200  153 

Local  symptom  enlarged  by  vital  force,  lessens  internal 

disease, 201  153 

Local  symptom  after  the  main  symptom,         .         .         .  198  152 

Local  treatment  objectionable  in  psora,  syphilis,  sycosis,  197  151 

Local  treatment,  kinds  of, 203  154 

Lysis,  gradual  resolution, 27 

Lymph  of  cow-pox  produces  a  general  cutaneous  erup- 
tion, different  from  pustules, 46  86 

Magnetism,  animal,          .    '    .         .         .         .         .         . 

Manifestations  of  disease  in  spontaneous  efforts  of  nature, 
Marsh-miasms,  persons  accustomed  to,    . 

Masked  syphilis,  difficult  to  cure, 

Material  views  of  disease,  of  old  school,  . 

Materia  Medica,  completeness  of, 

Materia  Medica,  insufficiency  of,  how  to  proceed  in  that 
case,      .......... 

Materia  Medica,  a  collection  of  pure  undeceptive  drug- 
effects,  .......... 

Materia  Medica,  pure,  dependent  on  observations  of  drug- 
diseases,     . 

Materia  peccans,  endeavors  to  remove  it,  inconsiderate 
and  unnatural  procedures,    ...... 

Measles  and  small-pox  suspend  each  other, 
Medicinal  powers,  development  of,  of  inert  substances,  . 
Medicinal  stibstances,  accurate  distinction  of, . 
Medicinal  substances  very  numerous,  at  the  disposal  of 

man, 51  90 

Medicines,  actual  principles  of,  how  obtained  and  pre- 
served,   267 

Medicines  to  be  genuine,  of  full  virtue,   ....     264-8         177 
Medicines,  incongruous,  disturbances  produced  by,          .     163  141 

Medicines,  in  crude  state,  most  potent,    ....     266  177 

Medicines,  most  practical  application  of,         ...     146  135 

Medicines,  power  of,  discerned  only  in  their  effect  upon 

the  healthy, .       20  71 

Medicines,  healing  power  of, 27  74 

Medicines,  power  of,  altering  mind,         ....     212  158 

Medicinal  powers,  spiritlike,  development  of,          .         .     169  178 

Medicines,  unhomceopathic,  unfavorable  result  of, .         .     165  142 

Medicines  to  be  used  singly  and  simply,          .         .         .     272-4         179 
Mental  disease,  the  chief  symptom,          ....     230  165 

Mental  disease,  chronic,  to  be  treated  by  antipsorics,      .     220  161 

Mental  diseases,  one-sidedness  of, 215-16       159 

Mental  excitement  objectionable  in  experiments,    .         .     126  127 

Mental  diseases  obscure  physical  symptoms,   .         .         .     216  159 

Mental  diseases,  partial  or  one-sided,       ....     210  158 

Mental  diseases  are  in  reality  bodily  diseases,          .         .     215  159 

Mental  diseases,  how  to  distinguish  the  cause  of,     .         .     224  162 

Mental  disease,  not  resulting  from  physical,  but  mental 

causes  of  psoric  origin, 225-8        162-3 

Mental  diseases  of  recent  date,  easily  cured,    .         .        .     226  163 

Mental  diseases,  treatment  of, 210-230     158-165 

Mental  diseases  to  be  treated  like  all  others,  .        .        .     214  159 


226 

34 

244 

170 

41 

83 

20 

145 

135 

162-171 

141-4 

143 

134 

110 

122 

22-25 

38 

78 

269-71 

178 

120 

125 

INDEX.  239 

Section.         Paga. 

Mental  diseases  to  be  treated  by  carefully  selected  ho- 
moeopathic remedies, 230            165 

Mental  disturbance,  accidental,  not  to  be  treated  by  an- 

tipsorics, 221            161 

Mercurials  in  large  and  frequent  doses,  chronic  mercurial 

disease, 41              83 

Merits  of  ancient  physicians  in  regard  to  science,  .        .  18 

Mesmerism,      .......  226 

Metaschematism  and  metastasis,      ....  21 

Metaschematism  (metaptosis),  .         ....  28 

Metastases,  spontaneous  and  antagonistic,        ...  30 

Miasms,  acute,           .         .         .    • 73            IQQ 

Mind  always  modified  in  physical  disorders,  .         .         .  210            158 

Mind,  state  of,  as  sign  of  improvement,  .         .         .         .  253             174 

Mind,  state  of,  importance  of, 211-12       158 

Mind  and  temperament  as  affecting  treatment,       .         .  208            157 
Minutest  details  of  chronic  diseases,  important  and  pecu- 
liar   95            US 

Misapplication  (inversion)  of  principle  of  cure,  56              90 

Mixtures  are  injurious,    .......  39              81 

Mixture,  intimate,  of  medicine  and  solvent,    .         .         .  287            185 

Morbid  matter,  presupposition  of,    .....  22 

Morbific  agencies,  natural,       ......  30              75 

Morbific  matter,  invisibility  and  imponderability  of,      .  23-24 

Morbific  potencies  overcome  by  vital  force,     ...  51              90 

Morbific  power  of  drugs,  investigation  of,        .         .         .  105            120 

Mumps  vanish  after  vaccination, 88              79 

Narcotics  form  exceptions  to  the  rule  regarding  primary 

and  secondary  symptoms,     ......  113             123 

Natural  disease, 29-30        75 

Natural  diseases,  unlike,  .......  35              77 

Nature,  erroneously  supported  and  assisted,    ...  31 

Nature,  example  of,  too  rude  to  imitate, ....  27 

Nature  to  be  followed  in  curing,      .....  47              88 

Nerves  in  contact  with  medicine,     .....  285            185 

Nerves,  sensitive, 289            186 

Nervine  ointments,  ineffectual  in  paralysis,     ...  37 

Neutralization  of  dissimilar  diseases  impossible,  42              84 

Neutralization  of  drug-effect, 64              99 

Notation  of  symptoms  in  writing,   .....  139             132 

Notation,  in,  importance  of  writing,       ....  104             119 

Noxious  influences,  inimical  to  life,          ....  31               75 

Old  school,  indifference  of,  to  effect  of  one  disease  upon 

another, 39              80 

Old-school  physicians  improperly  call  their  system  the 

"rational  art  of  healing," 

Olfaction  of  medicines, 290            186 

Opium  prescribed  in  all  kinds  of  pain,  diarrhoea,  etc.,     .  57 

Opposition  of  vital  force  to  palliatives,    ....  69            102 

Opium,  effects  of,  antipathic,   ......  59              95 

Organism,  human,  more  easily  affected  by  medicines  than 

other  agencies,      ........  30-33         75 

Organism,  material,  without  vital  force,          ...  10              67 

Organism,  violent  efforts  of,  to  expel  disease,  ...  26 

Palliative  remedies  aggravate ;  illustration  of  their  effects,  59 

Palliative  method,    '. 23 

Palliatives  only  relieve  in  large  doses,     ...  69            10<J 


240 


INDEX. 


Paralysis  cured  by  cow-pox, 

Parts,  susceptible  of,  influence  of  medicine,     . 
Pathological  names  take  the  place  of  special  knowledge, 
Partial  (one-sided)  diseases,     ...... 

Partial  (one-sided)  diseases  difficult  to  cure,   . 

Partial  disease  curable  by  homoeopathy, 

Partial  diseases,  internal,         ...... 

Pathical  (homoeopathic)  relation,  absence  of,  in  allopathic 

medicines, 

Peculiar  symptoms,  importance  of, 

Pernicious  and  debilitating  tortures,       . 
Perspiration,  critical,       .         .         .         ... 

Peruvian  bark  as  intercurrent  remedy,   . 

Physical  disease  present,  though  obscured  during  mental 

disease, 

Picture  (image,  record),  of  disease, 

Plague,  Levantine,  prevented  by  scurvy,  etc., 
Poisons  and  medicines  convertible  terms, 
Potencies,  morbific,  cure  diseases  of  similar  symptoms,  . 
Potencies,  artificial  morbific,   ...... 

Potency,  similar  morbific,  to  be  used  in  curing, 

Potency,  medicinal, 

Potentiated,  decillion-fold  dilution  (x)  to  be  commonly 

used,      

Potentiated  (potentized)  drugs  cure  rapidly,  . 
Potentiation  develops  powers  of  inert  substances,  . 

Potentiation,  dilution, 

Potehtiation,  similitude, 

Provers,  reliability  of,  as  to  intelligence,  truthfulness, 

and  temperate  habits,  etc.,   ...... 

Provers  to  take  no  other  medicines,         . 

Proving  (experimenting,  testing)  of  drugs  with  regard 

to  their  pure  effects, 

Psora,  discovery  of,  advanced  the  art  of  healing  chronic 

diseases,         .  

Psora,  complex  of,  ascertained  by  examination  of  many 

cases,     ......... 

Psora,  its  dormant  condition,  .     '    . 

Psora,  indications  of  its  origin,        .... 

Psora,  latent,  developed   by  epidemics,  requiring  anti- 

psoric  remedies,    . 

Psora,  its  manifestations  known  by  many  names,  . 
Psora,  of  greater  significance  than  other  chronic  diseases, 
Psoric  origin  of  non-febrile,  recurrent  diseases, 
Psora  reduced,  not  cured,  to  be  treated  by  antipsorics,    . 
Psora,  reduction  of,  to  latent  condition,  by  non-anti- 

psorics, . 

Psora,  syphilis,  sycosis, 

Preparation  and  preservation  of  medicinal  substances,    . 

Primary  effects  of  drugs, 

Primary  and  after-effects, 

Primary  effect  most  distinct  from  small  doses, 
Primary  effects  only,  are  seen  after  moderate  doses, 
Principles  of,  application  of  medicines,  three, 
Products  of  disease,  erroneously  regarded  as  causes, 
Products  of  disease  to  be  regarded  as  symptoms,     . 
Prominent,  uncommon,  and  peculiar  (characteristic)  fea- 
tures of  a  case,  to  be  noted, 

Proving  of  drugs  by  other  persons,  .         .         . 


Section. 

Page. 

46 

87 

289-92 

186 

22 

173 

144 

210 

158 

177 

145 

175 

145 

52 

90 

153 

137 

44 

34 

234 

166 

219 

160 

89 

113 

36 

77 

110 

121 

48 

88 

32 

75 

26 

29 

74 

270 

179 

25 

73 

128 

128 

270 

178 

276 

181 

137 

131 

124 

127 

120-145 

125 

82 

111 

103 

118 

73 

106 

80 

109 

242 

169 

81 

110 

80 

109 

234 

166 

222 

161 

221 

161 

204 

155 

123 

126 

63 

98 

59 

95 

137 

131 

114 

123 

53-4 

92 

20 

26 

153 
121-140 


137 
126-133 


INDEX. 


241 


Section.          Page. 

Provings  of  drugs,  importance  of,  accuracy  of,       .        . .  120            125 

Proving?,  most  desirable,  made  by  physicians  themselves,  141            133 

Proving 21 

Provers  unskilled  in  writing,  examination  of,         .        .  140            133 

Purgatives, 57              93 

Purgatives  and  issues,  as  allopathic  remedies,  39             81 

Purity  of  drugs  for  provings, •  124            127 

Purity  and  genuineness  of  drugs, 122            126 

Questions  to  be  asked, 86            112 

Kange  of  drug-effect,  entire,  to  be  known,      .        .        .  105 

Kapidity  of  action  of  homoeopathic  medicine,        .        .  288 

Earefaction  (attenuation),  high  degree  of,       .        .        .  280 

Rashlike  eruption  cured  by  measles,        ....  46 

Rational  medicine, 

Reason  and  reflection  superior  to  blind  processes  of  na- 
ture,        28 

Recipes  of  unknown  drugs,  their  effects  injurious,  .        .  39             81 

Recognition  of  disease  (indicatio),  .....  3              65 

Record,  new,  to  be  made  after  end  of  effect  of  remedy,  .  183-4        146 

Record,  new,  to  be  made  after  each  remedy,   .        .        .  170         '  143 

Record  of  cases  complicated  by  abuse  of  drugs,       .        .  92            114 
Reduction  of  dose,  proper  degree  of,  to  be  determined  by 

exact  experiment, 278            181 

Reduction  of  dose,  standard  of, 280-2        182 

Re-examination  of  patients  in  cases  of  doubtful  improve- 
ment,    255            174 

Regimen,  irregularities  in,  as  impediments  to  improve- 
ment,      252            173 

Regions,  certain,  occupied  by  complicated  diseases,        .  40             81 

Remedies,  adaptation  of,  to  intermittents,       .         .         .  235            167 

Remedies,  curative,  consideration  of,          ....  245  • 

Remedies,  favorite, 267            175 

Remedies,  popular,  homoeopathic,    .                 .        .        .  44-45 

Remedies,  repetition  of,  in  intermittents,        .        .        .  238            168 

Remedies,  time  for  administering,  in  intermittents,         .  236-7        167 
Remedy,  appropriate,  demand  for,  expressed  by  totality 

of  symptoms, 70 

Remedy,  the  most  suitable  and  reliable-is  homoeopathic,  147            135 

Repellentia, 

Repetition  of  dose  in  testing  drugs,         ....  129 

Repetition  of  dose,  advantages  of, 132 

Repetition  of  dose,  disadvantages  of,                ...        .  131            129 
Repetition- of  experiments  (tests,  provings),  essential  to 

the  perfection  of  result, 135 

Repetition  of  medicine  to  be  avoided  during  improve- 
ment,       245            171 

Repetition  of  medicines,  frequency  of,     .        .        .        .  247-8 
Reports  of  provers,  examination  of,,        ....  139 
Resources  of  nature  inadequate  without  reason, 
Reversed  relation  of  drug  and  disease  in  antipathic  treat- 
ment,   .                 69            101 

Revolutionary  (revulsive)  treatment,  not  a  cure,    . 
Routine — use  of  pocket-formularies,        .... 

Scarlatina  smooth,  erysipelatous  of  Sydenham  arrested  by 

vaccination, 38 

Scattering  and  expulsion  in  removing  disease,         .        .  25 

16 


242  INDEX. 

Section.  Page. 

Selection  of  medicines,  errors  in,     .        .        .        .        .  250  173 

Selection  of  remedy  (indicatum), 8  65 

Sensitiveness  of  experimenters,                         :  130-132    129 

Sensitive  parts,  most  susceptible  of  medicine, .        .        .  292  186 

Sensitive  patients,  effect  of  medicine  upon,     .        .        .  155  139 

Sensorial  condition,  or  health, "6  66 

Servants  of  nature  (ministri  naturae),      ....  30 

Sex  in  proving,     _ 127  127 

Sexes,  select  individuals  of  both,  necessary  in  provings, .  135  131 

Signs,  symptoms, 6  66 

Signs,  symptoms  of  morbid  state,     .....  14  69 
Sight,  hearing,  touch,  etc.,  to  be  used  in  the  investiga- 
tion of  disease,      84  112 

Similar  diseases  meeting  in  the  organism,       ...  43  84 
Similar  diseases  cure  each  other,  they  occupy  the  same 

parts  of  the  body,         .......  45  84 

Similitude  of  symptoms, 29  74 

Similitude  of  symptoms,  to  cure  by,  a  natural  law,         .  60  89 
Similia  similibus  curantur,  a  direct,  speedy,  and  perma- 
nent mode  of  cure,        .......  42     •        43 

Similitude  accurate,         .......  268  176 

Simple  and  unartificial  form  of  administration  of  drugs, 

essential, 123  126 

Single  simple  medicines  to  be  used  only,     ....  272-4         179 

Single  symptoms  only  regarded  by  allopathy,  68  94 

Solvents,  laxatives  or  aperients,  imaginary  effect  of,      .  25 
Specifics,  homogeneous,  with  morbific  irritation,  their 

use  condemned  by  the  old  school,         ....  20 
Spontaneous  efforts  of  nature,  safer  than  allopathic  treat- 
ment,   34 

Sporadic  diseases,     . 73  106 

Stimulating,  tonic  method  of  old  school,  stimulates  pri- 
marily, debilitates  secondarily,     .....  36  37 

Succussi'on, 270  178 

Sudorifics,  aggravation  from,  in  chronic  diseases,  82  33 

Superiority,  necessary  degree  of,  in  medicines,        .       '.  51  90 
Supposition,  mere  assertion,  and  fiction,  to  be  excluded 

from  the  Materia  Medica, 144  134 

Suppression  of  epilepsy  by  fontanelles,    ....  39  81 
Suppression  of  natural  curative  effects  as  objectionable 

as  imitations, 34 

Susceptibility,  difference  of,  as  to  dose,  not  to  be  prede- 
termined,        129  128 

Susceptibility  of  patients  to  medicines,  greater  than  that 

of  healthy  persons, 281  183 

Suspension  of  symptoms  not  a  cure,        ....  29 

Suspension  of  weaker  disease,  by  new  disease,  38  78 

Sustaining  power  of  life,  acts  without  reason,          .         .  27 

Sycosis,  likewise  incurable  by  unaided  vital  force,  .        .  79  109 

Sycosis,  syphilis,  psora, 204  155 

Sycotic  gonorrhoea  complicated  with  chancres,        .        .  41  83 

Symptoms,  signs, 14  69 

Symptoms,  ambiguous,  produced  by  interference  of  doses,  131  129 
Symptoms,  cancellation  or  obliteration  of,  cures  the  to- 
tality of  disease, 17 

Symptoms,  conspicuous,  aid  in  finding  remedy,      .        .  152 

Symptoms,  consecutive  order  of,  advantage  of  observing,  130  129 

Symptoms,  collateral,  complete  the  picture  of  disease,     .  151  137 

Symptoms  definite,  produced  by  each  drug,    .        .        .  Ill  122 


INDEX.  243 

Section.  Page. 

Symptoms  differ  during  different  trials,  ....  134  130 
Symptoms  of  intermission,  chief  guides  in  selecting  the 

remedy, 235  167 

Symptoms,  kind  of,  to  be  noticed,    ....".  153  137 

Symptoms,  mode  of  noting, 85  112 

Symptoms,  obscured  by  opposite  effects, ....  69  102 
Symptoms,  the  only  signs  by  which  power  of  medicines 

can  be  recognized, 21  71 

Symptoms  preceding  development  of  one-sided  disease,  .  218  160 
Symptoms,  primary  and  secondary,  cured  with  funda- 
mental miasm, 205  155 

Symptoms,  prominent  and  characteristic,        .         .         .  104  119 
Symptoms  to  be  regarded  as  resulting  from  the  medicine 

proved, 138  132 

Symptoms,  relative  value  of,  before  and  after  use  of 

drugs 91  114 

Symptoms,  result  only  from  disturbed  dynamis,  11  68 

Symptoms  of  same  drug,  differ  in  different  individuals, .  134  130 
Symptoms,  secondary,  from  suppressed  psora,  especially 

to  be  noticed 205  156 

Symptoms,  scarcity  of, 172  .144 

Symptoms,  striking,  absence  of, 179  145 

Symptoms,  totality  of,  are  object  of  cure,        ...  70  103 
Symptoms,  useful,  called  forth  by  inaccurately  adapted 

medicines, 274  180 

Symptoms ;  whether  to  use  similar,  or  contrary  a  matter 

of  experience,        .                 22  72 

Symptoms,  with  and  without  affinity  to  the  case ;  the 

former  act,  the  latter  remain  quiescent,       .         .         .  155  138 

Syphilis,  sycosis,  psora,   .......  204  155 

Syphilis  alone  recognized  as  chronic  disease,  ...  79  109 
Syphilis  and  itch  as  complicated  diseases  cannot  cure 

each  other, 40  82 

Systems,  ancient,  their  subtlety  and  opposition  to  nature,  18 

System,  whole  state  of,  considered  in  treatment,     .        .  190  149 

Tact  in  the  investigation  of  disease,         ....  93  115 

Testicles,  swelling  of,  effect  of  small-pox,        .         .         .46 

Terrestrial  potencies,  psychical  and  physical, ...      31 

Theoretical  products  of  fancy,  systems,  self-contradicting,  17 

Totality  of  symptoms  of  epidemics,  not  observed  upon 
one  patient,  but  several, 102  118 

Totality  of  symptoms,  the  only  manifestation  of  disease, 

and  only  indication  of  remedy, 18  70 

Totality  of  symptoms  combated, 70  104 

Totality  of  symptoms,  the  outward  image  of  inner  dis- 
ease, . 7  67 

Transient  relief  of  antipathic  remedies,  ....      58 

Treatment,  old  school,  consequences  of,  .... 

Triturations  (powder-dilutions),     .        .        .        .        .     271 

Trituration  and  succussion  in  potentiation,     .        .        .     128 

Type  only,  of  fevers,  suppressed  by  old  school,  by  means 
of  Peruvian  bark  (or  Quinia), 

Typical  intermitents, 233-4         166 

Unhomoeopathic  selection  of  remedy,  signs  of,        .        .     256  175 

Unknown  medicines  prescribed  for  imaginary  causes,     . 
Uncommon  symptoms,  importance  of,     .        .        .        .     153 


244 


INDEX. 


Section. 
36 
69 


Vaccination  abortive  in  rickets,       ..... 
Valerian  in  large  doses,  .  .... 

Valerian  as  an  excitant  and  palliative,   .... 
Variola  homceopathically  cures  other  diseases,  e.  g.,  oph- 

thalmia and  blindness,  ....... 

Variola  prevents  cow-pox  homceopathically,  ... 
Violent  effects  avoided,    ......        . 

Vital  force  and  organism  inseparable,     .... 

Vital  force  not  the  best  guide  as  vis  medicatrix,       .         . 
Vital  force,  affection  of,  and  totality  of  discernible  symp- 

toms are  a  unit,    ........ 

Vital  force,  acts  without  reason  (instinctive),          .         . 
Vital  force  affected  only  by  spiritlike  influences, 
Visible  degenerated  matter,  production  of  diseased  or- 

ganism,        ......... 

Vital  force,  disease  of,  cured  with  totality  of  symptoms,  . 
Vital  force,  left  to  its  own  resources,        .... 

Vital  force  liberated  by  medicine,    .....     263 

Vital  power,  liberation  of,  from  disease,  ....     148 

Vital  organs,  deterioration  of,  prevents  cure,  .        .        .    279-80 
Vital  force,  sufficiency  of,       ......      76 


46 
46 
67 
15 


.16 

16 


12 


Page. 
77 
96 
38 

85 

90 
69 
34 

69 
28 
69 

26 
68 
30 

136 
182 
107 


Wine,  effects  of,  in  debility,    ......      69 


96 


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1875 
Hahnemann,  Samuel 

Organon  or  the  art  of  healing 


MEDICAL  SCIENCES  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  IRVINE 

IRVINE,  CALIFORNIA  92664 


